This week, the Church observes the Spring Ember Days, which fall on February 25th Wednesday, 27th Friday, and 28th Saturday.
The Ember Days are traditional days of prayer and fasting observed four times a year in the life of the Church. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia (1909), they developed in Rome and gradually spread throughout the Latin Church by the eighth and ninth centuries. Pope Gelasius (496) designated the Ember Days as customary times for ordinations, further embedding them in the rhythm of ecclesial life.
Although they are often associated primarily with fasting, their purpose extends beyond personal discipline. As the Catholic Encyclopedia explains, the Ember Days were introduced not only for prayer and fasting in general, but also to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach moderation in their use, and to encourage assistance to those in need.
The Ember Days have not been abolished. The General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar (nos. 45–47) still make provision for Rogation Days and Ember Days. While the 1983 Code of Canon Law no longer obliges the faithful to fast on these days, there are no restrictions preventing individuals from freely observing this ancient custom.
In the liturgical calendar of the Traditional Latin Mass, the Ember Days remain clearly designated, with proper texts that reflect the Church’s longstanding practice of marking the seasons with prayer and penance.
The Church thus continues to preserve this rhythm of seasonal prayer and discipline. The Ember Days may be understood not as an obligation, but as one possible way of entering more consciously into the sacred time of the Church.