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I'm trying to do some research and cannot seem to find good info that is more historical instead of theological. Who, what, when, and how was fish allowed to be eaten on Good Friday in the Catholic church? Most information that I'm finding is seems to be talking about the blood and the sacrifice but I'm looking for dates when it was allowed by who and the reasoning they (not the current church) gave for it.

I would appreciate any help directing me to the right sources.

Rebecca, as a former Catholic who was in 7th/8th grade during Vatican II, I can tell you you're researching the wrong issue. There is nothing about eating fish on Friday of significance other than the fact that "fish" is not "meat." There was no "allowance" to each fish, there was a prohibition from eating meat. Start your research there.

Try some of these links.

http://us.yhs.search.yahoo.com/avg/sear ... on+fridays

Regards.

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All Scripture quotations are New American Standard Bible, unless otherwise indicated.

Here's the dope,
In parts of the US, Catholics are the majority religion. Long, long ago, there was this sin (or something) for Catholics to eat meat on Friday. So it became Fish Day for almost everyone in these areas due to simple economics. Restaurants, and even public schools, served fish on Fridays.

I still feel bad for those Catholics serving time in Purgatory, while watching contemporary Catholics wolfing down burgers sin-free on Friday. TGIF!

S

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Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,"
behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION" --
The apostle Paul, NASB

Ah Ha! That's where McDonald's Filet-O-Fish comes from! It's a Catholic Conspiracy to push fish products! Is this a Catholic company:

http://www.yuwanmei.com



I think they must be out on parole since the RC Church okayed BigMacs on Fridays.

Roger

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Fame is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.

Deleted my comment after second thoughts.

_________________
All Scripture quotations are New American Standard Bible, unless otherwise indicated.

Here is a lengthy article that offers the history of Lent (interesting enough, fish should probably not be consumed, but because there appears to have been the tendencey towards lesser and lesser fasting this has lead to more and more allowances) http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09152a.htm

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JIm would remember this better than I. I think it was EVERY Friday, right?

S

_________________
Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,"
behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION" --
The apostle Paul, NASB

S, are you making a slur on my age?

Yes, it was every Friday. And to eat meat on Friday was considered a mortal sin, i.e., a sin that if not confessed, was grievous enough to send you straight to Hell, no stopping in Purgatory.

I just found this link of interest:
http://www.catholic-pages.com/life/fridaymeat.asp

Regards.

_________________
All Scripture quotations are New American Standard Bible, unless otherwise indicated.

Anti,
When I was a Catholic kid in the US (post Vat2) I distinctly remember only one serious fast (the fish thing was just old habit at this point). You could not eat anything on Sunday until after taking Communion. I think this helped the after-church brunch thing take off. I don't think this is required any more.
S

_________________
Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,"
behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION" --
The apostle Paul, NASB

Jim,
I meant no offense. I may have been baptized pre-VII, but I was too young to remember it. One pet peeve (correct me if I'm wrong). Purgatory is only for the heaven bound, although God only knows when you get out. Hell is a direct, non-stop flight. Memories!
S

_________________
Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,"
behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION" --
The apostle Paul, NASB

Generally Eastern Orthodox are not nearly as lenient. On Wednesdays and Fridays, Orthodox are not permitted to eat meat (including poultry) and any meat products such as lard and meat broth,
fish (fish with backbones - shellfish are permitted), eggs and dairy products (milk, butter, cheese, etc.), olive oil, wine and other alcoholic drinks.
However, there are several times a year when fasting is not permitted (like between Christmas and Theophany). While they strongly encourage weekly fasts, it isn't a "damnable sin" (generally the Eastern church uses carrots instead of whips to get people to follow church rules).

_________________
Στηθι εδραιος, ως ακμων τυπτομενος. - Ignatius |II Timothy 4:2| All Scripture is NKJV, unless a translation from the Greek text or otherwise noted.
M.A. Theological Studies (New Testament), Faith Seminary, Tacoma WA
Member, Evangelical Theological Society, North American Patristics Society.
Assistant Editor and contributing author of several published and forthcoming publications.

Thank you so much for your comments and suggestions. I'll look into the them all especially about focusing more on the meat part instead of the fish. You are right that it is a much bigger picture.

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The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist.

One interesting question is why fish is not considered meat. A fish is, after all, an animal.

There's a parallel categorization in Judaism. Rabbinic law forbids the consumption of meat and dairy products together. As this prohibition is derived from Deuteronomy 14:21, originally it applied only to mammals and was later extended to birds, so one is not permitted to consume a combination of dairy and poultry. But there's no prohibition against consuming dairy and fish together (shellfish is forbidden anyhow, so that's not an issue).

I'm wondering if the Catholic classification of fish as non-meat is somehow related to the rabbinic classification of fish as non-meat. One derived from the other? Or perhaps a common source?

_________________
The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist.