8.184. What are Ember Days, and why do traditional Catholics fast before Communion and avoid meat on Fridays? Isn’t that legalistic?
Ember Days, Friday abstinence, and pre-Communion fasting are not “legalistic rules” — they are time-honored Catholic disciplines rooted in Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, and the Church’s perennial moral and spiritual wisdom. These practices help cultivate self-discipline, penance, and reverence — things sorely lacking in today’s permissive and relativistic age.
1. What are Ember Days?
Ember Days are three days — Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday — traditionally observed four times a year to mark the changing of the seasons. These days are set aside for prayer, fasting, and ordination of clergy. The Latin term Quatuor Tempora ("Four Times") refers to these quarterly periods.
The Church observes these days:
After the Third Sunday of Advent (winter)
After the First Sunday of Lent (spring)
After Pentecost (summer)
After the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (autumn)
These days were mandated universally by Pope St. Gregory VII in the 11th century, though their origins trace back much earlier — possibly to the Apostolic era. The Council of Mâcon (AD 581) mentions their observance as established and widespread.
Pope Leo the Great (5th century) said of them:
“It is fitting that the seasons should be sanctified by a religious observance... so that what God has created for man’s good may be received with thanksgiving, and not be abused through greed.”
2. Why Abstain from Meat on Fridays?
Friday penance commemorates Our Lord’s Passion and death. To eat meat on Friday without grave reason was always considered a mortal sin before the post-Vatican II “reforms”. The Third Lateran Council (1179) and the Council of Trent (Session 14) both reaffirmed the importance of fasting and abstinence as necessary for sanctification.
Our Lord said:
“If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
The Church, in Her wisdom, designated Friday — the day Christ died — as a perpetual day of penance. Pope Pius XII wrote in 1947:
“The custom of observing Friday as a day of penance in memory of Christ’s death on the Cross is to be maintained and highly recommended.”
This simple act of abstaining from meat was not about “following rules,” but uniting ourselves with Christ’s sacrifice. For centuries, it was a mark of Catholic identity. Vatican II’s loosening of this discipline has led many to forget Friday is still a day of penance.
3. Why Fast Before Holy Communion?
The Church has always required fasting before Communion to prepare the soul and body to receive the Eucharistic Lord. The purpose is reverence and purification, as St. Paul warns:
“Whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.”
The 1917 Code of Canon Law required fasting from midnight before receiving Communion. This discipline reflected the early Church’s zeal. St. Augustine affirmed:
“It has pleased the Holy Ghost that, out of reverence for this great Sacrament, the Lord’s Body should enter the mouth of a Christian before other food.”
Later, Pope Pius XII eased the fast to 3 hours before Communion in Christus Dominus (1953) out of practical necessity for workers and the sick — but not to undermine reverence. The post-Vatican II one-hour fast, however, is so minimal as to be virtually meaningless. It treats God’s Body with the same casualness as a snack.
4. Isn’t This All Legalism?
No. These disciplines are not “legalism” but love. Just as lovers make sacrifices for one another, the Catholic sacrifices comfort to show love for Christ.
Our Lord taught:
“Unless you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.”
He didn’t say “be spiritual” or “have good intentions” — but do penance. The Church, as a loving mother, provides a structured way to carry this out. The Council of Trent (Session 14) affirms that penance is a sacrament instituted by Christ and a means of salvation.
Those who abandon penance often fall into spiritual lukewarmness — or worse, into mortal sin. That is why modern “Catholic” life, devoid of sacrifice, often breeds compromise, moral failure, and shallow faith.
These traditional practices are spiritual medicine. They train the will, humble the soul, and unite us to Christ’s Cross. That is the opposite of legalism — that is love through sacrifice.
| Practice | Traditional Catholic View | Post-Vatican II View | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ember Days | Seasonal days of fasting and prayer, obligatory and spiritually beneficial | De-emphasized or removed from modern calendars | Lost connection to nature, penance, and priestly ordinations |
| Friday Abstinence | Obligatory under pain of mortal sin | Optional or replaced by “other forms of penance” | Led to neglect of all Friday penance |
| Communion Fast | Midnight fast, or at least 3 hours | Only 1 hour fast (including water!) | Reduced to a near-formality, losing meaning |
| Penance | Essential for salvation (Luke 13:3) | Seen as outdated or optional | Modern “positive” spirituality lacks redemptive suffering |
| “Legalism” Accusation | Rules exist to train in virtue and show love for God | Structure seen as restrictive or rigid | Christ said: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15) |
Summary:
Ember Days, Friday abstinence, and fasting before Holy Communion are ancient Catholic practices rooted in love for God and true penance. They are not arbitrary “rules,” but spiritual disciplines passed down from Christ through the Apostles, reaffirmed by councils, saints, and popes. They unite us to the Cross, teach us self-denial, and express reverence for the sacred.
Ember Days help sanctify the natural rhythms of life and connect us to God’s providence. Their disappearance in modern liturgical life shows how disconnected the Church has become from creation and spiritual seasons.
Friday abstinence is a simple but powerful remembrance of Christ’s Passion. By skipping meat, we unite ourselves with His suffering. For centuries, this act of devotion was seen as an essential Catholic identity marker. Now, its near-total disappearance has left Catholics unsure of what it even means to do penance — despite Christ’s clear warning that “unless you do penance, you shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).
Fasting before Communion was another sign of deep reverence for the Holy Eucharist. The earlier disciplines — from midnight, or at least 3 hours — prepared Catholics physically and spiritually. Today’s one-hour fast, often fulfilled accidentally, reflects the casual, horizontal mindset of modern “worship”, where reverence has been replaced by comfort and convenience.
Critics may call these practices “legalistic,” but that’s a misunderstanding. True legalism is obedience without love. Traditional Catholic penance is the obedience of love — willingly sacrificing out of devotion to Christ.
The weakening of these practices post-Vatican II coincides with a drop in vocations, reverence for the sacraments, and moral discipline. Without bodily penance, the soul grows soft. Traditional Catholics cling to these practices not out of nostalgia, but out of fidelity to the spiritual wisdom of the Church.
As the world grows more comfortable with sin, Catholics must grow more familiar with sacrifice. By reviving these traditional devotions, we take up our cross and follow Christ on the narrow road — the road of saints, martyrs, and faithful Catholics throughout the ages.
Further Reading:
The Catechism of the Council of Trent – section on the Eucharist
The Ottaviani Intervention – a critique of the Novus Ordo Mass
The Great Sacrilege – Fr. James Wathen (a sedevacantist in essence but not in name)
Mediator Dei (on the liturgy) – Pope Pius XII