The third week of Lent is the time to find out why Cahors is considered church wine and when and in what quantities it can be taken. It turns out that the Orthodox Cahors differs from its French counterpart, and in the last century it was even made from. Read on to learn about other vicissitudes of this drink’s fate.
Historical context
Until the 17th century, no wine was produced in Russia, so the church bought Cahors wine from Greece, Italy and France for rituals. Since the kegs are
wine had to travel a long way; drinks were chosen that could survive long-term transportation. This is precisely what determined the choice of fortified wine - only it could reach the Russian Empire in a condition suitable for consumption.
In the 17th century, the situation changed: grapevines brought from Transcaucasia began to be grown in Astrakhan, and this marked the beginning of Russian winemaking. By this time, Christians had already developed a certain idea about church wine, so they first began to produce sweet red wines suitable for Christian rituals.
Cahors was used not only in church, but also at important events in the world: neither weddings, nor funerals, nor name days could do without it. This wine was also actively used in medicine: it was believed that it helps patients restore strength and cleanse the blood. The popularity of the drink gave rise to a lot of underground production. In Odessa, Rostov and Novgorod, “Cahors” was made from prunes and even beets. To stop the wave of wine piracy, the Orthodox Church took complete control of the entire production cycle of Cahors: from collecting to bottling the finished wine into barrels.
After the revolution, a special resolution was adopted that allowed Cahors to be made not from grapes, but from other, more accessible berries. Therefore, for a long time the drink was “cherry”.
Cahors and Post
During Lent, Cahors can only be consumed on holidays: Saturday and Sunday. This is due to the fact that in Christianity, wine symbolizes joy, and fasting - asceticism, the meaning of which is to reflect on sins and sorrows. Other posts are less categorical on this issue and allow the consumption of wine on weekdays if a person, for example, suffers from anemia or is simply cold.
However, the key requirement for a believer who drinks alcohol is compliance with the measure. It is important to follow the main principle: do not get drunk and do not lose your mind. There are no specific instructions regarding the exact quantity: modern clergy speak of one glass, and old church texts speak of one “krasovul”. Krasovulya is an ancient volume measure equal to 125 ml. True, at the time when it was in use, the wine was thicker, and for consumption it was diluted with water, so that the output was about 300 ml of the drink.
Dry or fortified?
Orthodox Cahors differs significantly from its French ancestor because it is fortified - it contains a lot of sugar and alcohol.
According to the accepted classification, Cahors is a dry red wine made from the Malbec grape variety. It was grown near the French city of Cahors, which later gave the name to the drink. Cahors differs from other wines in that during the preparation process it is first heated to 65°C and only then allowed to ferment.
The International Organization of Grapes and Wine has banned all winemakers, except French ones, from using the word “Cahors” in the name, but this does not prevent Russian consumers from still calling any red fortified wine, on the label of which ancient elders or monasteries are depicted, Cahors.
Cahors and Easter
Bread and wine are integral elements of the Eucharist - the most important Christian rite and the most important episode of Easter. The essence of Holy Communion is that after forty days of fasting, believers eat bread and wine, which personify the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. This act symbolizes mutual sacrificial love.
The church has strict regulations regarding what products can be used in this ritual. The Uchitelnoye Izvestia, first printed in 1699, reports that only non-acidic grape wine can be used for Holy Communion, but it must be red or white, it does not specify. The Russian Orthodox tradition chose red wine because its color is more similar to the blood it is supposed to represent. At the same time, Christians in Eastern Europe did not introduce such restrictions, so they still use both red and white wine in church affairs.
Is it possible to drink wine during the Nativity Fast, says the Orthodox calendar. It indicates the days when you can relax your soul and body, and for Christmas itself they gather internally to break the fast with dignity.
The Nativity Fast is required for believers to celebrate the great holiday of Christmas with dignity. Believers in their prayers thank God, praising him that He did not reject human existence, but, together with all people, took upon Himself its burden.
Is wine drunk during Advent?
According to the Lent calendar, wine is allowed in the Christian diet on Sundays and major holidays that fall during Lent. This is December 4 - Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary; December 19 – Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker; The 13th is the day of St. Andrew the First-Called; The 25th is the Day of Spyridon of Trimifuntsky, the days of thrones.
The Psalter indicates the saying of King David: “...And wine makes glad the heart of a man, and bread strengthens him.” Based on the royal great permission, wine is allowed to be drunk on holidays and on fasting days, but the clergy warn that everything must be decent.
Important! The celebration of the night from 31.12 to 1.01 is especially stipulated. No one can cancel the arrival of the New Year, but it must be celebrated more modestly, according to the fasting calendar. In 2019, January 1 is Saturday. If a person plans to go to communion on Sunday, he must completely abstain from eating and drinking from the previous midnight.
The same requirement applies to wine. Therefore, the Christian himself determines whether he can drink wine during the Nativity Fast 2018-2019 by whether he goes to communion. In general, the New Year should be celebrated calmly, without fun, since a great significant fast continues. And according to your plans, decide whether to drink wine during the Advent Fast for the New Year, or refuse it.
A large number of Christians strictly fast according to the calendar, with complete restrictions on food, drinks, and entertainment. But the rules of the Church are not so strict. According to the monastic Charter, drinking alcohol during the Nativity Fast is allowed, but on weekends - Saturdays and Sundays.
Here the Church stipulates the condition: you should drink red wine made from grapes, give preference to Cahors, and only in small quantities, one wine glass is enough.
What does the modern Church think?
The monastic charter allows drinking wine during fasting days, but modern clergy prove that this instruction has long become irrelevant. Residents of Byzantium and Syria always drank wine and diluted it with water 1:3.
At the time of the creation of the Charter, wine was used to compensate for the lack of water and improve its quality. In those years it was a vital need. The monks of ancient monasteries used wine as a means of treating many diseases.
The modern Church believes that people have no shortage of water and medicines. Because of this, during fasting days you should deny yourself wine and not drink it even on the permitted days of the calendar.
The confessors insist on this because the meaning of fasting lies not only in some restrictions, its meaning lies in the spirituality hidden deeply in every believer.
Today it is believed that a believer should think every day about his spiritual development, eradicate from his thoughts the craving for wine and alcoholic beverages, which cause such vices as vanity and pride. And drinking 1-2 glasses of wine interferes with spiritual improvement.
So, Christians can drink wine during Lent, but at the same time, priests advise abstaining from this temptation, citing how long ago the monastic Rule was written. Today this rule is interpreted incorrectly by the laity, which slows down their spiritual development.
In the 20th century, many Orthodox traditions were forgotten. And therefore, these days, most people do not quite understand the essence of some church rituals. Those who decide to fast have many questions about certain foods that are prohibited (rather, not recommended) to be consumed at this time.
In particular, many are interested in whether there is a ban on wine during Lent. There are four such periods of abstinence of a certain duration and severity per year.
There are several versions of the origin of the tradition of drinking wine during Lent. All versions agree on one thing: it came to us from the East. The beginning of this tradition was laid by Syrian and Byzantine monks. But in fairness, it should be said that over the years the concept of wine has changed a lot.
And if in today’s understanding, wine is an alcoholic drink with a certain number of degrees, then in ancient Eastern countries, wine was primarily understood as grape juice.
In those days, it was vitally necessary for the monks of the Byzantine and Syrian monasteries, because made up for the lack of water. Moreover, in the absence of the necessary medications, it was the only available remedy that could support a sick person.
After all, at that time it was already well known about the healing properties of grape juice. The acids it contains, when mixed with gastric juice, help improve digestion. In addition, tannins, and there are many of them in grapes, help relieve inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.
It was for medicinal purposes that Eastern Christians consumed unfermented wine drinks, in particular during fasting to get rid of “weakness.”
To be fair, it should be said that sometimes the believers of that time had to drink fermented grape juice. It contained approximately 8% alcohol. To make fermented grape juice less strong, it was diluted in the following proportion: three servings of water per serving of juice.
As a result, the strength of the wine drink was reduced to 1%. In Russia, both in former times and today, it is not customary to dilute wine. Therefore, clergy recommend that many people refrain from drinking wine because of its “pleasure” properties, which may be unnecessary during fasting days.
By the way! In the East, a grape drink diluted by half with water was considered too strong. Only degenerate people suffering from alcoholism drank it.
Rules for drinking wine during fasting
The rules regarding restrictions on the consumption of alcoholic beverages are the same for all Orthodox believers:
- on the first day of any fast, it is recommended to refrain from drinking any liquid;
- on the second and third days you are allowed to drink only water;
- on other fasting days, people who are not prone to alcoholism are allowed to drink wine in moderate doses on Saturdays and Sundays, with the exception of the first and last weekends in this period, on the days of remembrance of especially revered saints, as well as on great church holidays that fall during this period.
According to the rules, people who are unable to comply with the limit are not allowed to drink alcohol.
What kind of wine can you drink?
Strong alcoholic drinks are prohibited during all fasts. According to all the rules, believers who are fasting should drink only red wines. The most preferable for this case is Cahors.
This type of wine has long been used by clergy in church ceremonies. However, it is recommended to dilute Cahors with water in a ratio of 1:3 before use. Drinking such a rather weak drink does not allow you to lose your mind.
The Typikon, the Church Charter, states that during Lent, monks can drink one krasovuli of wine diluted with water on the permitted days, and laymen can drink two krasovuli. The volume of Russian beauty was 480 ml.
Wine during Lent
Even by name "Lent" It can be understood that this church ritual involves the longest period (more than two months) of abstinence from excesses in food and drinks.
During Lent, you should not eat animal products or get drunk.
Despite the strictness of its implementation, the ban on alcohol does not apply to weak wine drinks, in particular Cahors.
Drinking a small amount of wine is not prohibited on weekends, at the time of communion, as well as on the days of Palm Sunday, the Annunciation and Maundy Thursday.
The Church condemns drinking alcohol for fun. However, patients with anemia and those with blood pressure problems can drink a glass of dry red wine for medicinal purposes. Since such wine drinking is medicinal in nature, similar to taking pills.
Each believer needs to determine for himself those instructions for the period of fasting that he is able to fulfill, taking into account his habits, physical health and the truth of his faith.
There are four fasts in the Orthodox calendar: Petrovsky and Assumption. Christmas and Lent. The Great One is considered the most strict in terms of abstinence from pleasures and excesses.
But it is important to understand that any abstinence is an auxiliary factor that temporarily contributes to a more concentrated switching of consciousness from human to divine. When fasting, a person, first of all, cares about the soul, and not about restoring the figure.
Everyone knows which products are not recommended for consumption during this period. But the question often arises about whether it is permissible to drink a glass of wine.
Lent is one of the longest. It occurs in the spring, when the body is already weakened by a lack of sunlight and heat and requires more vitamins. Some secular holidays overlap with church traditions. A believer has to combine his spiritual aspirations with everyday life situations that involve drinking alcohol. Birthdays, New Year, March 8, traditional friendly, family and business meetings with colleagues and partners involve the use of alcoholic beverages. Is it possible or not? First of all, it is a question of consciousness, responsibility, willpower and faith.
What to do in such cases, the believer decides for himself. If a person decides not to drink alcohol, then you can always find a good reason to refuse: taking medication, an upcoming driving trip.
Opinions on this issue are contradictory. Differences exist both among church representatives and among the believers themselves. There is no definition or specific norm. The main thing is to understand that the wine taken during Lent is not intended for bodily joys. Then you can feel the norm.
The Church has not imposed a ban on drinking wine. But there are restrictions. According to tradition, you can only drink dry red wine. The attitude towards white is negative.
This is due to several reasons. Firstly, drinks made from dark grape varieties are associated with the blood of the Lord. The traditional drink Cahors is given in small doses even to children at baptism.
The second important factor is the usefulness of alcoholic dry drinks in moderate doses. They help maintain vitality, thanks to the vitamins and iron contained in the composition. They have a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system. Lent is the longest period and many find it difficult to endure restrictions. This sometimes causes a depressed state of mind. A sip of good wine has a calming and relaxing effect. Many people treat an incipient cold with a serving of Mulled wine.
The tradition of drinking wine in small doses on days of abstinence came from Syria and Byzantium. The clergy gave permission in ancient times and wrote it down in the Charter. You could only drink a drink diluted with water. It was diluted in a ratio of one to three. The permission was explained by necessity. The lack of medicines and vitamins was replaced with diluted wine.
Nowadays, during Lent and other fasts, a person who is ill or weakened, for example, after undergoing blood tests or a serious course of treatment, can drink a glass of good dry wine and eat a chocolate bar.
In many monasteries, according to the rules, you can only drink wine on weekends. On Saturday and Sunday it is permissible to take no more than one hundred and fifty milliliters.
Lent and other fasts should be light. This means that in a person’s soul, light must dispel darkness. The aspiration of the heart and thoughts must first of all be directed towards God. And then your bright feelings should transfer to the world around you, then an occasional glass of wine will not lead you into sin.
On the contrary, a person exhausted from abstinence, aggressive or depressed will not benefit the soul if he does not drink even a drop of alcohol during the entire period. It is more sinful to drink a little alcohol to ruin the life of your family, friends and those around you with your bad mood.
If you have a craving for drinking alcohol, then it is better to impose a strict limit on yourself so as not to get drunk “in the trash.” A good reason to give up a bad habit in the process of mental concentration on thoughts of God.
So the main thing is not external restrictions, but an internal attitude. The rules only help to organize order in life during the period of Lent, so that as few external factors as possible distract you from thoughts and prayers addressed to God.
Make your own choice. Weigh the extent to which you need to drink alcohol. You can replace it with other sources of vitamins and nutrients, which are in great abundance these days. And don’t punish yourself harshly if you had to, out of necessity, or if your soul demanded to sip a small glass. Let your thoughts, actions and words remain pure and bright.
Every believer tries to fast. But it happens that some rules about moments during fasting are not entirely easy to understand. Lay people who have turned to God and want to test themselves by enduring the refusal of modest food and other pleasures inevitably ask themselves the question: is it possible to drink wine during Lent?
There is no shame in having some knowledge gaps associated with acquiring faith. During the Soviet era, atheism was instilled in every possible way, and the generation that knew the essence of church dogmas passed away without passing on their knowledge to their descendants. People grow, mature and gradually learn something. Throughout life they find answers to their questions. Is it possible to have wine during Lent? We will try to find out today.
Limitation
Limiting and suppressing your sinful thoughts, anger, thinking about your sins, vicious desires and impulses, eradicating everything base in your soul - this is the main idea that fasting carries. Giving up fun and other benefits that have become so familiar, and sometimes even unnoticed, is done with effort. The exclusion of animal food from the table is one of these restrictions. Eating delicious food is, to some extent, gluttony. Gluttony is a sin. Refusal of food and wine on fasting days is especially strictly observed for two days from the beginning of the fast itself. By observing it, a person always comes out spiritually strengthened and even healthier on the physical level.
Do you drink wine during Lent?
As we see, from the beginning of the first week of fasting there are very strict restrictions. From Wednesday you can start eating cooked foods. And on Sunday even vegetable oil is allowed. You can add it in modest quantities to your dishes. The end of the week, namely Sunday, is the day when you can drink wine during Lent. You can also drink this drink on church holidays.
Do not confuse the concept of “wine” with other alcoholic beverages. In particular, the ban on certain alcohol-containing drinks is inviolable for whiskey, cognac, vodka, port wine and others. Beer also falls under the church ban of Christianity. Its low degree is not the reason why it would be drunk instead of wine during Lent.
For a beer?
In ancient times, beer was brewed at some monasteries. And many modern fasters try to provide this fact as their justification when they drink it at the end of the week during fasting time. However, you should not turn a blind eye to your passions (including the love of beer) and justify this act. Remember self-restraint. Refusal of what is loved and familiar... And if beer was brewed in a monastery, this does not mean at all that it was allowed to be consumed during Lent. And there is no need to call it “liquid bread”, equating it with food - which is what beer connoisseurs will not do.
When is it allowed to drink wine during Lent?
This is one of the four fasts, and it is the most strict in execution. But, despite all the strictness, drinking wine on Saturdays and Sundays is permissible. On the Annunciation and the days of temple festivities, a little wine is also consumed. However, in order not to violate the rules, you need to know not only when you can drink wine during Lent, but also how to drink it correctly.
According to the charter
A believer who fasts according to all the rules should drink only red varieties of wine. The surest choice would be Cahors. This wine has long been used in the church and is considered the blood of the Lord. Before taking wine during fasting, it must be diluted with water: Cahors - one part, and water - three parts. As you can see, it turns out to be a rather weak drink. Perhaps some are even disappointed by this fact, but that’s what this post is for. An excessive degree can cause fun and subsequent consequences in the form of gluttony (in all forms).
How much to drink?
In order not to lose sanity, the Church established unspoken norms. Approximately one glass of wine on holidays and weekends. You shouldn’t turn a blind eye to the words: “diluted with water.” Yes, the wine in your glass should already be diluted with plain clean water. Often, for some reason, those who fast “forget” about this fact and drink it as it is, with all degrees. They justify themselves by saying that one glass of wine during Lent does not contradict church dogmas.
Why was wine a permitted drink?
Once you ask this question, it is easy to get a logical answer. The fact is that the custom of drinking wine during Lent originally belonged to the monks of Syria and Byzantium. The monks lived in monasteries. During the refusal of food, it was necessary to replenish the water reserves in the body by drinking it. In the heat and poor quality of drinking monastery water, the weakened monk had many chances to catch the disease. To prevent this from happening, they began to add wine to the water they drink. It performed an excellent function in disinfecting drinking water. And at the same time, it often played the role of medicine. In those distant times, there were practically no other medicines. The priests remind us that permission to drink wine was written in very ancient times.
Modern believers always have access to clean water. However, conventional medications are not something rare. For these reasons, drinking diluted wine is hardly something necessary or beneficial for a parishioner. And after drinking a glass of undiluted wine, a parishioner will certainly begin to experience undesirable amusement during Lent. One glass can lead to a second, and as a result, unable to control oneself, it is easy to step onto the path of sin while drunk. To prevent this from happening, church ministers strongly recommend completely eliminating wine from the diet for the prescribed period. Knowing that you cannot drink during Lent, the parishioner will not experience great temptation and, accordingly, will go through the path of fasting with dignity.
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