Fish on Fridays

I always wondered about the eating fish on Fridays thing. Once, I asked a nun about why it was OK to eat fish flesh on Fridays (during Lent) - because really, how is fish NOT a type of meat?  - and she got really really angry. 

I'm simply very inquisitive. Like a cat. I didn't mean to make her angry. I wanted to know and thought she was in a great position to finally enlighten me. I wholeheartedly agree that there are some things we should just "take on faith." But this isn't one of them. Whether it's the "obvious" connection to the ichthus or something rooted in a once-but-no-longer-relevant event in history ... I think it would be good to know the real reason.

A few years ago Scott told me the Fish on Fridays tradition started with a papal decree designed to prop up the fishing industry in Italy at some point in history. I don't recall if it was in the last century or so ... or a really really long time ago. If I were a good researcher (or was really really in need of a shiny diversion) I'd go look that up.

In any event, T.G.I.F. The last two Fridays we went out for fish at a club my sister and brother-in-law and new member Amy and her husband belong to. You have to go down a bunch of stairs to get into this place, so I had the distinct honor of entertaining everyone by riding the little one-seater chair-vator. I just have to remember not to wear stretchy pants. Almost lost my pants that first time. Good gracious. That would have been enough to make some folks think maybe sushi and a cup of miso would be a better Friday evening meal.

So what do you know about the Fish on Fridays (during Lent or otherwise) tradition? 

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