3 Day Fast of Nineveh (sawmo d-ninwoyé tlotho yaumin) begins

3 Day Fast of Nineveh (sawmo d-ninwoyé tlotho yaumin) begins

The commencement of the 3 day Fast of Nineveh (sawmo d-ninwoyé tlotho yaumin) according to the Liturgical Calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church.The three-day fast commemorates the 3 days Jonah spent in the belly of the whale & also the repentance of the city of Nineveh. It begins every year on the Monday 3 weeks prior to the commencement of the Great Fast (ie the tenth Monday before Easter Sunday).The origins of the Nineveh Fast in the Syriac Orthodox Church can be traced back to the 4th century AD. This can be inferred from the memre & hymns of St. Ephrem the Syrian (+373). Initially the fast was for 6 days, but now it is only for 3 days. The 3 days fast had been neglected through time until later. Mor Dionysius Yac'ub Bar Salibi (+1171) states that Mor Marutha, the Maphrian of Takrit (+649) was the one who enjoined the Fast first in the region of Nineveh under the Maphrianate. Mor Gregorios Yuhannon bar'Ebroyo (+1286) states that the confirmation of this fast was due to the crises the Church went through in Hirat. The Syriac people there fasted 3 days & 3 nights, praying constantly according to the demand of their bishop, & they were rescued from their ordeal by God. Armenians embraced this practice of the Syriacs calling it Sorep Sarkis. The Copts did the same during the time of Pope St. Abraham the Syrian (+978, 62nd Pope). Historically, this fast is one of the most rigorously observed fasts in the Syriac Church. The faithful traditionally refrain from food & drink from Monday till Wednesday & only break their fast following the Holy Qurbono on Wednesday. The Church exhorts her faithful to at least refrain from meat, fish & dairy products during the period of fasting.The narrative of the story from the book of Prophet Jonah is as follows. Jonah (whose name in Hebrew means dove) runs away from God & from the mission that was entrusted to him. He was cast into the sea, & from inside the belly of the whale Jonah cries out to God who saves him. Jonah proclaims, “in 40 days Nineveh will be overthrown.” The people fast & pray. The king also prays & commands the whole city to call on God in the hopes that God would relent & withdraw His anger. God withholds His judgment due to their repentance & prayers. The Three Day Fast is in a way, our preparation for the Great Lent. St. Jerome writes about Christian fasting, “Fasting is not merely a perfect virtue, it is the foundation of all the other virtues; it is sanctification, purity, & prudence, - virtues without which no one can see God."May our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ abundantly bless all the faithful who wholeheartedly keep the Fast. May we use this blessed period as a time of reflection & repentance. Malankara World Special supplement with sermons/commentaries: https://goo.gl/aKqZXLDaily Malayalam prayers: https://tinyurl.com/2p99z37aDaily English prayers: https://tinyurl.com/23sbz8nnNineveh Lent (3 Day Nombu) Promiyon Sedro (courtesy Hymonutho): https://bit.ly/3B63LJPMetrical homilies by St. Ephrem: https://goo.gl/PptWFNSacrament of Repentance: https://tinyurl.com/mtpncj2sArabic article: https://goo.gl/noiFWT