This year Great Lent will start in February 8th .
Great Lent is considered the holiest fast since our Lord Jesus Christ Himself had fasted it.
Therefore, during Great Lent we follow the example set by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who fasted on our behalf forty days and forty nights (Matt. 4: 2).
Also during Holy Week, which comes after the 40 days, we live the Passion of Christ day by day and hour by hour.
Because of the significance and holiness of Great Lent, the Church designated a week of preparation to precede the 40 days.
The Church is teaching us to prepare for Great Lent in a spiritual manner. We fast to prepare ourselves for the ffb 40 holy days. In fact, the preparatory week is not the only fast which the Church designated to get us ready for Great Lent and Holy Week.
Great Lent - 55 days, no fish or seafood, and no other animal products.
It represents the fast of Christ on the Mount of Temptation (40 days), plus 7 days of preparation, plus the Holy Week (8 days).
Fasting without fish or seafood, Man’s original state involved eating only fruits and vegetables.
Adam only ate fruits and vegetables in the Garden of Eden. We fast without fish or seafood to go back to our original state, resembling Adam's original state.
Christ fasted on the mount without food and water to undo Adam's sin, so that He could correct the sin of Adam, and this is why in Lent for example, we fast without fish - to return to the original Adam.
Thus we do not eat meat and dairy products in fasts because
We return to our original state in Adam in Paradise.
Meat and other dairy products weigh the body down, giving it too much energy and fat. As a result, carnal and bodily desires escalate and thus we become more susceptible to sin.