Why Meat?

[Old_Joe]

Why do Catholics and other Christians give up meat on Fridays? When and how did it start?

[cappie]

It has something to do with the classifications of animals. Thus the way it's stated in latin ("carne"?) which we translate 'meat' is more specific than that and does not include fish ( or other animal products like eggs and milk)

The Latin term used is CARNE. That term only covers warm blooded animals.

And since Western Church law is definitive in Latin, (and no other language), we are to abstain from CARNE specifically.

In the Eastern Churches, which have their own Canon Law, all animal products, including fish, eggs and dairy are prohibited on days of Abstinence.