Later, in the late 5th century, Pope Gelasius I required that all ordinations, to any of the seven Holy Orders, take place on Ember Saturdays. In the early 5th century Pope Leo the Great believed that the Ember Days went back to at least the apostles and perhaps the Jewish custom of fasting four times a year. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”ĭrawing on the existing Roman practice of quarterly fasting for the intention of a plentiful harvest, the early 3rd century Pope Callixtus I instituted within the Church these four times of fasting for greater vocations. This discipline harkens back to Matthew 9:37-38 where Christ asks us to pray for vocations when he says, “…The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. They are a time to consecrate each season to God, show gratitude for his creation, and offer sacrifice for the intentions of His blessing for a bountiful harvest and its proper use.Īs we pray to God for bounty in the current season, it is fitting that we also pray for the harvest of souls and the increase of the workers in that vineyard, vocations and holy Priests. The Ember Days are sets of 3 penitential days put aside at the start of each natural season for prayer, fasting, abstinence, and thanksgiving.
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