The Nativity Fast is a period of abstinence and pena nce practiced by the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches, in preparation for the Nativity of Christ, (December 25).[ 1] The fast is similar to the Western Advent, except th at it runs for 40 days instead of four weeks. The fast is observed from Nov ember 15 to December 24, inclusively. These dates apply to those Orthodox C hurches which use the Revised Julian calendar, which is identical to the Gregorian calendar. For those national Churches which still fol low the Julian calendar (Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Macedonia, Monte negro, Serbia, and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem), the Winter Lent does not begin until November 28 (Gregorian) which coincides with November 15 on th e Julian calendar.
Sometimes the fast is called Philip's Fast (or the Philippian Fast), as it traditionally begins on the day following t he Feast of St. Philip the Apostle (November 14). Some church es have abbreviated the fast to start on December 10, following the Feast o f the C onception by Saint Anne of the Most Holy Theotokos.
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