Our Lady's Fast (Успенски пост, Госпојински пост) - meaning, rules and tradition in the Serbian Orthodox Church

The Mother of God Fast, known in our Serbian Orthodox Church as the Uspenski Fast and popularly as the Gospojinski Fast, is one of the four great fasts of the Orthodox Church. It begins on August 14 and ends on August 27 according to the new calendar, preparing us for the great Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos on August 28. This fast is observed in honor of the Mother of God, who is venerated as the supreme intercessor before Christ, and is considered one of the strictest and at the same time most blessed times of the church year.

According to Church tradition, the Mother of God was informed of her impending death by the Archangel Gabriel in her old age. She spent her last days in prayer, humility, and deep inner contemplation to prepare for the encounter with her Son and Lord. The Feast of the Dormition, which we celebrate at the end of this Lenten season, commemorates not only her death but also her Assumption into Heaven. In it, we recognize the proof of her purity, holiness, and special closeness to Christ, which serve as an example for all of us.

We observe the Lenten Fast from August 14 to 27 according to the new calendar, or from August 1 to 14 according to the old calendar. This two-week period of Lent is a spiritual preparation for us, during which we purify our hearts, direct our thoughts toward Christ, and seek the intercession of the Mother of God in a special way.

The Mother of God Fast is one of the strict fasting periods of the Orthodox Church. During this time, people abstain from meat, dairy products, and eggs. Oil and wine are consumed only on Saturdays and Sundays. Fish is permitted only on the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, which we celebrate on August 19th according to the new calendar. But fasting doesn't just concern our diet. It is a call to repentance, spiritual vigilance, and active love, to purer thoughts, kind words, and works of charity.

During the Uspenski Post, we attend services more frequently, participate in prayers and akathists in honor of the Bogorodica, and seek closeness to God through confession and Holy Communion. In our families, we prepare together for the feast, bringing icons or flowers to church on the feast day and having them blessed before the icon of the Mother of God. In this way, we combine outward abstinence with active participation in church life, which strengthens our community of faith.

For us, the Blessed Mother's Fast is not a mere ecclesiastical requirement, but a time of the heart in which we grow in faith, renew ourselves, and draw closer to the Advocate of all Christians. Those who observe these days with love and humility receive spiritual comfort and the blessing of Our Lady, who tirelessly intercedes for us before Christ.