The bishops of England and Wales are re-establishing the practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays as a penance to identify with Christ on the cross.

In tresolutions published from their spring plenary assembly, which concluded Thursday, the bishops announced the re-establishment of the practice, to take effect Sept. 16, Zenit reports.

“Every Friday is set aside by the Church as a special day of penance, for it is the day of the death of our Lord,” a statement of resolutions from the assembly reminded. “The law of the Church requires Catholics to abstain from meat on Fridays, or some other form of food, or to observe some other form of penance laid down by the Bishops’ Conference.”

“The Bishops wish to re-establish the practice of Friday penance in the lives of the faithful as a clear and distinctive mark of their own Catholic identity,” the statement announced.

The date for the re-establishment of meatless Fridays, Sept. 16, marks the anniversary of Pope Benedict’s visit to the UK last year, the report adds.

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English Bishops bring back meatless Fridays (Zenit)

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