To the beloved children of our Church, both congregations and the faithful, residing within the Diocese of Gedeo, Kore, and Burji, as well as those living at home and across the various continents of the world; first and foremost, congratulations on reaching the Fast of the Holy Apostles in peace.
“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.” (Acts 13:2-3)
This Fast of the Apostles is one of the seven official (proclaimed/decreed) fasts observed by the Church. The Apostles kept this fast by following the direct example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Holy Gospel witnesses that after our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was baptized in the waters of the Jordan by the hand of John, without any delay and before beginning His public ministry, He immediately went into the Wilderness of Quarantania (the Mountain of Temptation) and fasted for forty days and forty nights. Our Lord did not fast because He Himself needed to, but rather to reveal the path of life to us and to teach us that any spiritual ministry and victory is attained through fasting.
The Holy Apostles, as true followers of Christ, also understood this great mystery (divine truth) which they learned from their Master. When they received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, they did not immediately rush into preaching to the world. Instead, just like their Lord, they prioritized fasting and prayer before launching the global mission of the Gospel and deploying ministers for the work. As mentioned in our theme verse, before separating Barnabas and Saint Paul for the work of delivering the Gospel to the Gentiles and laying hands to send them off, they anchored their foundation in this spiritual power of fasting and prayer.
Fasting is our weapon through which we put on heavenly power, subject our fleshly desires to the will of the soul, and overcome satanic temptations. The fact that the Apostles fasted in the early Church when appointing ministers, facing trials, and embarking on new spiritual journeys provides a profound lesson for us today: that we must first present ourselves before God as we walk through any path of our lives.
Our dear spiritual children; when we look at the challenging times that our country and our Church are facing today, this Fast of the Apostles serves as a great spiritual renewal for us. The Apostles overcame the division, fragmentation, and hatred of their time with the love of the Gospel through the power gained from fasting. During this season, beyond refraining from physical food, we must also guard our hearts from hatred, our tongues from evil, and our feet from the path of destruction. We must practically demonstrate mutual love and Orthodox Christian virtues.
Our beloved faithful, we extend our paternal call to you to further strengthen the values of brotherhood and love that we have held since ancient times, and to pray for the peace of our country through fasting and prayer.
May the God of our fathers, the Holy Apostles, make this fast one of blessing, peace, and love. May the intercession and prayers of the Holy Apostles be with us all!
May God bless our country!
Abba Gerima
Bishop of the Diocese of Gedeo, Kore, and Burji, and Member of the Holy Synod
