The days of fast (only one full meal) and abstinence (no meat) are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

 All other Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence (no meat).

Those between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast (only one full meal) as above. From the age of 14, people are also obliged to abstain (no meat: this obligation prohibits the eating of meat, but not eggs, milk products or condiments of any kind, even though made from animal fat).

The obligation to observe the laws of fast and abstinence is a serious one for Catholics. Failure to observe one penitential day in itself is not considered a serious sin. It is the failure to observe any penitential days at all, or a substantial number of days, which must be considered serious.

The obligation, the privilege really, of receiving the Eucharist at least once a year --- often called “Easter duty” --- for those in the state of grace should still be fulfilled during the period from the First Sunday of Lent, February 14th to Trinity Sunday, May 22nd. However, the Church’s law does permit this precept to be fulfilled at another time during the year when there is a just cause.

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