forefeast

English

Etymology

From fore- +‎ feast.

Noun

forefeast (plural forefeasts)

1. A lesser religious festival that leads up to another more significant festival.

   Antonyms: afterfeast, postfeast

   • 2005, George Dion Dragas, Ecclesiasticus II: Orthodox Icons, Saints, Feasts and Prayer:

     The two forefeasts of Christmas fall on the previous Sundays […]

   • 2016, Leslie Brubaker, Mary B. Cunningham, The Cult of the Mother of God in Byzantium: Texts and Images:

     The typikon of the Evergetis monastery, on the other hand, lists a forefeast and two afterfeasts; […]

   • 2016, Carolyn L. Connor, Saints and Spectacle, page 144:

     Liturgical ceremonies of special splendor were enacted not only on feast days but also on the forefeasts and afterfeasts of these events, as seen in the Book of Ceremonies and Typikon of the Great Church.