The Apostles’ Fast Begins
June 8, 2026 · Source: Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco
On the Monday after All Saints — June 8 this year — the Church enters the Apostles’ Fast, the variable-length summer fast that ends with the feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29.
With the week of Pentecost complete and All Saints celebrated, the Church turns to the oldest rhythm she knows: preparation. The Apostles’ Fast begins on the Monday after the Sunday of All Saints and runs until the feast of the holy, glorious, and all-praised leaders of the Apostles, Peter and Paul, on June 29.
Because its starting point follows from Pascha while its end is fixed, the fast’s length changes every year. In 2026, Pascha fell on April 12, Pentecost on May 31, and All Saints on June 7 — so the fast begins June 8 and lasts three weeks. Its length swings widely from year to year: when Pascha is early the fast runs for weeks; when Pascha is late it can be very short.
The fast honors the Apostles’ own pattern: before they were sent out, they fasted and prayed (Acts 13:2–3). It is kept more lightly than Great Lent — fish is permitted on most days by widespread custom — though practice varies by jurisdiction and parish, and the local rule is the one to ask about.
However long or short the season, its point is the same: the apostolic life is not a spectator’s inheritance. The Church fasts with the Apostles in order to be sent with them.