Religion: Friday Abstinence

It will be fish on Fridays for Roman Catholics of New Mexico beginning next September, decreed Santa Fe’s Archbishop Edwin V. Byrne last week. The order will end a special privilege, long shared by Catholics of onetime Spanish colonies, of ignoring the regular rule of abstinence from meat.*

The original dispensation was granted to Spanish counts in 1089 by Pope Urban II, in recognition of Spain’s valiant services in the Crusades. It was later extended to all Spanish peoples by Pope Pius V after the victory of the Christian allies at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.

Last year the privilege was withdrawn in Mexico, in response to a Vatican recommendation that Friday abstinence be made uniform throughout Christendom as soon as practicable. The dioceses of Gallup and El Paso will also cancel the exemption in September. But in Spain itself the dispensation will probably remain in effect, Vatican sources said, particularly in view of the country’s difficult food situation.

* In Santa Fe, the privilege does not apply to Ash Wednesday, Lenten Fridays and the day before the feasts of Christmas, Pentecost, the Assumption and All Saints’ Day.