Outside of fasting seasons and fast-free weeks, Wednesdays and Fridays are always fast days in the Orthodox Church. This weekly rhythm is the backbone of Orthodox fasting — more consistent than any of the four seasonal fasts.
Why Wednesday and Friday?
Wednesday — the day of betrayal. Judas agreed to betray Christ to the chief priests on a Wednesday. The fast is a memorial of that betrayal and a bodily participation in the sorrow of the disciples.
Friday — the day of the crucifixion. Christ was crucified on a Friday. The fast is a weekly Good Friday, a remembrance of the Passion.
This practice is ancient. The Didache, written in the late first or early second century, instructs Christians: “Let not your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on Monday and Thursday, but you shall fast on Wednesday and Friday.”
What is abstained from?
The standard rule for Wednesday and Friday outside fasting seasons: no meat, dairy, or fish. Wine and oil are generally permitted.
In more strict practice (and during fasting seasons), wine and oil are also abstained from on Wednesday and Friday.
When do the Wednesday and Friday fasts not apply?
The Wednesday and Friday fast is suspended during fast-free weeks:
- Bright Week — the week after Pascha. No fasting at all.
- The week after Pentecost (All Saints Week). No fasting.
- The week after the Theophany octave (January 7–13, approximately). No fasting.
- Cheesefare Week — the week before Great Lent. Meat is already abstained, but there is no fast on Wednesday and Friday in the strict sense.
The Wednesday and Friday fast is also eased when a Great Feast falls on those days — for example, the Nativity of Christ (December 25) on a Friday lifts the fast entirely.
A personal note on beginners
If you are new to Orthodox fasting, the Wednesday and Friday fast is the natural starting point. It costs you two days per week, asks for no elaborate food preparation, and can be kept quietly without drawing attention.
Keep it faithfully for a season, then discuss deepening your rule with your priest.
Feast or Fast will show “Fast Day” or “Wine & oil fast” on Wednesdays and Fridays, and “Fast Free” during suspended weeks.