Meatfare Sunday

Meatfare Sunday, or "The Sunday of the Last Judgment), is traditionally the last day of eating meat before Easter for Orthodox Christians.

Why is it important?

Orthodox Meatfare Sunday is observed by Orthodox Christians on the third Sunday as defined by the Lenten Triodion, the liturgical book used in the services of Great Lent. It is the Sunday after the Sunday of the Prodigal Son and Sunday before Forgiveness Sunday. This is the third week of the pre-Lenten start of the Easter cycle of worship in the Orthodox Church.

For millions of Orthodox Christians worldwide — it's the last day they can eat meat until 'Pascha' or Easter, but still eat dairy products and eggs till the start of Great Lent.

What follows after this Sunday is several weeks of prayer and community, of forgiveness and seeking it. Orthodox Christians believe prayer, service to others, and shedding the self bring you closer to God.

Origin and Significance

The commemoration for this Sunday is taken from the parable of our Lord Jesus Christ concerning his Second Coming and the Last Judgment of all, both the living and the dead. In Matthew 25:31-46, Christ speaks about what will happen at this specific point in time when He will "come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him" (v. 31).

The Gospel reading this Sunday remembers Christ's parable of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46). This adds to the previous pre-Lent Sundays and teaches that it is not enough to see Jesus, to see ourselves as we are, and to come home to God as his prodigal sons. The Church teaches that, in addition, one must also be God's sons by following Christ, his only-begotten divine Son, and by seeing Christ in everyone and by serving Christ through them.

Salvation and the final judgment will depend upon deeds, not merely on intentions or even on the mercies of God apart from personal cooperation and obedience. All piety and prayer are ultimately directed towards the goal of serving Christ through his people.

source: Wikipedia.org

Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. [...] For truly I say to you, if you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.

(Matthew 25:34-46; The Parable of the Last Judgement)

The Greek Orthodox Church emphasizes the Gospel of Matthew on this day, also known as the Sunday of the Last Judgment. Even though it sounds ominous, the parable of the Last Judgment has a decidedly different message. It points out that Jesus Christ will judge people on love, specifically how deeply you care for others and share God's love. Far from hellfire or brimstone, the spirit on this Sunday is one of repentance and making amends.

The Eastern Orthodox Paschal Cycle

In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the Paschal Cycle helps everyone stay on the path of fasting, penance, prayer, and charity work. The Cycle revolves around Easter and it comprises various phases: pre-Lent, Great Lent, Holy Week, and Pentecostarion periods.

With the passing of each phase, Christians move closer to spirituality and God.

The cycle revolves around Pacha

During this period the faithful follow a series of traditional steps. Sundays usually signal the next phase in the Paschal Cycle with a special commemoration around the Gospel Reading assigned for the day.

The Paschal cycle continues throughout the entire year, until the beginning of the next Pre-Lenten period. The Tone of the Week, the Epistle and Gospel readings at the Divine Liturgy (Orthodox Eucharistic service), and the 11 Matins Gospels (morning services) with their accompanying hymns are dependent on it.