Why Fish on Friday’s?
A super fast research (hopefully from accurate sources which include professors from Baylor and several history books.. most of which we hope are accurate) Who knows in this political era!!
Not something that I ever really paid attention to even while being raised as a youth in the Catholic faith. Now we have the hunt for the best fish sandwich. Maybe another faith based act of contemplation and respect has been taken over by profit based minds. . I asked so here is the reply.
Myth. . . Some Pope decided fish on Friday to help commerce in the industry. HMM seems even myths have some foot hold in reality.
Technically, warm blooded animals are off limits as a sense of sacrifice especially during Lent. Fish being cold blooded are considered fair game. This is in response to the act of fasting during Lent. Fasting was too much of a sacrifice at some point and Fish with fries became the answer to an uncomfortable day..
While the Pope story is not exactly true, an official leader of the church did make fish on Friday the law for purely practical reasons. This was during Henry the VIII reign.
When Henry ascended to the throne in 1509, fish dominated the menu. After he became interested in a different gal of influence, English fish took a down turn in popularity.
Henry already had a wife, Catherine of Aragon, and the Pope refused to annul the marriage. So Henry declared himself the leader of the Catholic Church of England and divorced Catherine so he could marry Ann Boleyn.
At that point eating fish became political. Gee sounds like the same thing in our modern era. An item that has no root in politics begins to take on a monstrous debate.
Fisherman were not doing so well near this time and Henry’s young son (not sure who the mother was for the lad) . . took over in 1547 . fast days were reinstated and put into law. Stated reason was to “spare flesh, and use fish for the benefit of the trade.”
Fishing remains a major industry to this day and has other interesting business growth reasons through out history.
One article brought up a neat point. . . Before the Vatican relaxed rules on fishy Friday, Lou Groen, and enterprising McDonald’s franchise owner in largely Catholic part of Cincinnati, found himself struggling to sell burgers on Friday’s. His solution? The Filet -O-Fish.
While actual Biblical application remains to be debated and largely absent in fact while full of opinion. . .seems Fish commerce on Friday is here to stay. .. Now to find a way to get my heart doctor interested in permitting me to join in on the festivities.
