NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Meat on a Friday during Lent? While this may seem like a big no-no for Catholics, on Friday, March 25, there’s more to the story left to tell when it comes to solemnity.
A solemnity is the highest day of a sacred feast, including Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost, and All Saint’s Day. It also includes the Solemnity of the Annunciation, which annually falls on March 25. And this year, March 25 falls on a Friday!
According to the Catholic News Agency, Lent rules will not be broken on Friday, which commemorates the visit of the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary when she learned she would bear the Son of God — meaning chicken, burgers, and steak for all!
Want proof? Check out Pope John Paul II’s 1983 Code of Canon Law, which states:
“Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.”
So whether you are digging into a juicy steak or decide to eat some crispy fish anyway, remember to choose peace. As Pope Francis said:
“Let us pray for peace: peace in the world and in each of our hearts.”