Catholic fasting and abstinence rules in the United States are simpler than they sound. If you are 18 to 59, you fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. If you are 14 or older, you skip meat on those two days and on every Friday of Lent.
Fasting means eating less, and abstinence means no meat. If you are sick, pregnant, or nursing, you are excused, because your health comes first. If you have another serious reason, ask your pastor.
Catholic fasting rules at a glance
| Practice | Who does it | Required days in the United States | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fasting | Latin Catholics ages 18 to 59 | Ash Wednesday and Good Friday | One full meal and two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal |
| Abstinence | Latin Catholics age 14 and older | Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and every Friday of Lent | No meat from land animals |
These rules are for Latin Catholics, also known as Roman Catholics, in the United States. If you belong to an Eastern Catholic Church, you follow the rules of your own Church. Not sure which one applies to you? Ask your parish or your eparchy (the Eastern Catholic version of a diocese).
What is the difference between fasting and abstinence?
Fasting means eating less
On a fast day, you can eat one full meal. If you need them, you can also have two smaller meals, as long as together they don't add up to a second full meal. Drinks are fine, but skip solid food between meals.
You don't have to eat all three meals. The rule only sets the most you can eat that day. Fit the full meal and the small ones around your work, school, medicine, and family, as long as your health allows. For example: a small breakfast, a light lunch at work, and a full dinner at home.
Abstinence means no meat
On these days, no meat means no meat from animals like chickens, cows, sheep, and pigs. Eggs, milk, and cheese are fine. Fish doesn't count as meat here, which is why fish is so common on Fridays in Lent.
You don't need a fancy replacement meal. Beans, cheese enchiladas, tortitas de camarón, or a simple fish dish keep the day focused on prayer and sacrifice. The idea is not to swap meat for something more expensive.
Which days require fasting or abstinence?
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday: fast and no meat. These are the only two days in the United States when the Lenten meal limits are required. In 2027, Ash Wednesday is February 10 and Good Friday is March 26.
Every Friday of Lent: no meat. This applies even if you are not in the fasting ages. The main exception is when one of the Church's biggest feast days, called a solemnity, falls on a Friday. For example, in 2027 Saint Joseph's day, March 19, falls on a Friday, so skipping meat is not required that day.
Sundays are part of Lent, but they are not fast or abstinence days. Your personal Lenten sacrifice is a different thing. If you gave up sweets or coffee for Lent, you can keep it up on Sundays too; that choice is yours.
Who must fast and abstain?
You fast from age 18 through age 59. You skip meat from age 14 on, and the rule has no upper age limit. Age is not the whole story, though: your health and other serious reasons matter too.
Kids under 14 don't have to skip meat, and anyone under 18 doesn't have to fast. The Church still asks parents and pastors to help young people understand why we make sacrifices. Your family can choose a small sacrifice that fits your child's age, without cutting the food a growing child needs.
Who is excused from fasting and abstinence?
You are excused if you are physically or mentally ill, and that includes a chronic illness like diabetes. Pregnant and nursing women are excused too. Use common sense: if you are sick, don't put your health at risk by fasting.
This guide can't make a medical decision for you. If fasting could affect a health condition, your medicine schedule, a pregnancy, recovery from an eating disorder, or any other health need, follow your doctor's advice. If you're not sure how the rules apply to your situation, talk with your pastor.
Long work shifts, travel, not having enough food, or caring for someone else can also raise questions. In a specific case, the Church can lift the rule or change it into a different sacrifice. If your situation is hard and you're not sure, ask your pastor. He can tell you what to do.
What about Fridays outside Lent?
Every Friday of the year is still a day of sacrifice. In the United States, outside of Lent, skipping meat is not the only way to keep Friday. Going without meat is still the first choice, but you can also give up something else, pray a little more, or help someone in need.
This choice is only for Fridays outside Lent. On the Fridays of Lent, no meat is still required, unless a solemnity or another valid exception applies.
How to prepare for a fast day
- Check the day and the rule. If a feast day or a local celebration could change the date, look at your diocese's calendar or the calendar of the U.S. Catholic bishops (USCCB).
- Think about your health. If fasting could hurt you, talk with your doctor and your pastor before the day comes.
- Plan simple meals. Decide which meal will be your full meal and where the two small ones fit in your day.
- Give your sacrifice a reason. Join it with prayer, with turning back to God, and with care for someone in need.
- Don't judge others. You may not know their age, their health, which Catholic Church they belong to, or what they are going through.
Fasting means more when you pair it with prayer. Our Stations of the Cross guide walks you through a classic Lenten prayer. The Catholic Bible study plan for beginners helps you pick a short Bible reading. And the money you save with a simple meal can go to someone in need.
Fasting is not a diet or a test of how tough you are: it is a way to turn your heart back to God, together with prayer and helping others. Keep the required days, take the exceptions when they apply to you, and when in doubt, ask your doctor or your pastor.
Do not confuse the Lenten fast with the Eucharistic fast
These are two different things. The Lenten fast limits your meals on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The Eucharistic fast is how you get ready before receiving Holy Communion: no food or drink, except water and medicine, for at least one hour before Communion.
If you're getting ready for Mass, the guide to the four parts of Catholic Mass walks you through the celebration. If you plan to receive Communion and have a question about your health or timing, ask your parish what applies to you.
For prayer at home from Lent to Easter
An Easter candle, a Bible, rosaries and devotional candles to keep fast days centered on prayer.
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Common questions about Catholic fasting rules
Can Catholics drink water while fasting?
Yes. Drinks are allowed on the required Lenten fast days. Your health still comes first, so ask your doctor if you have questions about water or medicine.
Can Catholics eat fish on Friday?
Yes. The no meat rule is about meat from land animals, and fish doesn't count. A simple fish meal follows the rule. Just keep it simple, so the day still feels like a sacrifice.
Do Catholics fast every day during Lent?
No. In the United States, the required fast days are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. You can choose to fast more or make another Lenten sacrifice, but that is your own choice, not a requirement.
Do adults older than 59 have to fast?
No. After age 59, the fasting rule no longer applies. The no meat rule still applies from age 14 on, unless your health or another valid reason excuses you. If it is safe for you, you can still fast by choice.
What if I forget and eat meat on a Friday in Lent?
Don't worry. Stop when you remember and go without meat for the rest of the day. If it stays on your mind, you can talk about it with a priest, for example in confession.
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