Lent is preceded by a number of preparatory Sundays and weeks.
Preparations for the forty-day period of Lent begin shortly after the feast of Theophany. In fact, Lent is preceded by four preparatory Sundays: of the Publican and the Pharisee (without a week); of the Prodigal Son; the Meatfare Sunday (meaning “without meat”); and the Cheese, or Cheesefare Sunday (meaning “without cheese”). During the preparatory Sundays and weeks, the Church prepares the faithful for fasting by gradually introducing abstinence: after a fast-free week, the regular discipline of fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays is reintroduced; then follows the highest degree of preparatory abstinence—meat is prohibited completely until Pascha. In the preparatory services, the Church, recalling the early days of the world and man, the blessed state of our ancestors Adam and Eve and their fall, and the coming of the Son of God Jesus Christ to earth for the salvation of mankind, inclines believers to fasting, repentance, and spiritual feats.
The Synaxarion for the Cheesefare Saturday says that “when army troops are arrayed for battle and are standing on the very front, their officers rouse their army with words, examples, and recollections of soldiers who of old have most bravely conducted war and behaved like men. The troops, invigorated by the hope of victory, wholeheartedly set out for battle. Likewise, the God-bearing Fathers wisely accomplish the same.1 For those entering Lent, the holy fathers point to the example of the holy men and women who shone forth in ascetic life, and teach that fasting is not only about abstaining from food, but also about in bridling the tongue, the heart and the eyes.”
Such preparation for the forty days of Lent was established by the Church many centuries ago. Thus, in their homilies such famous preachers of the fourth century as Sts. Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and Cyril of Alexandria already spoke about abstinence in the Weeks preceding Lent. In the eighth century, Sts. Theodore and Joseph the Studites compiled services for the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, along with the Meatfare and Cheesefare Sundays; and in the ninth century, George, Metropolitan of Nicomedia, compiled a canon for the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee.
Cheese Week, or Maslenitsa, is the week following Meatfare Sunday. Meat is prohibited throughout this week, but other animal products are still allowed on Wednesday and Friday. The Divine Liturgy is not celebrated on Wednesday and Friday. During the evening service on Tuesday, the Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is read for the first time, and it will be repeated many times during all Lenten services.
Cheese Week is the threshold of Lent. The Holy Church calls it “the radiant threshold of abstinence”, “the beginning of compunction and repentance”, therefore “it does not become the true children of the Church of Christ to indulge in revelry, worldly amusements and entertainment during this week.”
On the Cheesefare Saturday, we commemorate the holy men and women, “those who shone forth in the ascetic way and lived in sanctity and righteousness.” By the example of the holy ascetics, the Church strengthens us for spiritual struggle so that, “by looking at their lives—which were of no little account—as a model, we might begin practicing the many and various kinds of virtues, according to the ability of each,”2 while keeping in mind that the holy ascetics of both sexes glorified by the Church were human beings clothed with the weaknesses of the flesh like us.
On this last Saturday before Lent, the Church calls on Orthodox Christians to honor “our divine Fathers, who were renowned for their ascetic life in every place and city and land”. As an instruction before walking through the Lenten season, the Church offers us the Lives of all those who, through the feat of fasting, entered the “Paradise of delight” and now enjoy the Heavenly Kingdom. This ancient feast united the memory of a whole host of saints from different countries and nations, and for some of them it is the only day of their public Church commemoration. The next day, on Sunday Vespers, the so-called “Rite of Forgiveness” is performed in churches, when Orthodox Christians ask and receive forgiveness from one another in order to enter the holy season of Lent with a clear conscience and peace of mind, imitating—at least in these days of Lenten journey—the feats of the great venerable fathers and mothers.
Cheesefare Saturday is a special and unique day of the year when the memory of all monastics is celebrated. And it is natural that their memory should be celebrated right before the beginning of Lent, because a “life of fasting” is simply a synonym for monastic life, and because in this life of fasting everybody—not only monastics, but also laypeople and married clergy—all imitate this monastic virtue. Therefore, the last Saturday before Lent is a festival when the Church invites us (especially monastics, of course) to learn from those who once walked this path and entered the Heavenly Kingdom, as well as all Christians in general to learn from monasticism of what this essentially consists.
Troparion, tone 4
O God of our fathers, Who at all times showest lovingkindness to us, take not Thy mercy away from us; but through the prayers of Thy saints guide our lives in peace.
Kontakion, tone 8
As preachers of godliness, putting impiety to silence, Thou hast glorified the company of the God-bearing Fathers and made them shine in all the world. Through their prayers, keep in perfect peace all who praise and magnify Thee, that they may sing to Thee: Alleluia.