THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 3, 1995 TAG: 9503030373
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By KERRY DOUGHERTY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 113 lines
John Georgiades is not a Catholic, but he is a big fan of the pope.
This Norfolk fishmonger especially likes the fact that the Catholic Church requires the faithful to abstain from meat on Fridays during the 40 days of Lent.
In fact, he would like to see Pope John Paul II crack down on non-observant Catholics.
``I'm behind the pope 100 percent,'' says Georgiades, owner of George's Seafood in Norfolk. ``I think all Catholics should eat fish on Fridays. Everybody else should, too.''
Almost 30 years have passed since the Vatican lifted its prohibition on eating meat on Fridays. But meatless Fridays during Lent continue, much to the relief of local fish sellers who have watched the sale of fish plummet in recent years - but pick up during Lent.
``Good Friday was one of our busiest days last year,'' says Bobby Gallagher of Colley Avenue Seafood Market. ``We were running out of fish right and left. I'm going to be ready this year.''
Ash Wednesday, this week, marked the beginning of Lent - and seven meatless Fridays. The Rev. Lou Ruoff of Holy Trinity Catholic Church says most Catholics follow the dietary rules, which date back to the Middle Ages.
But the priest notes that abstaining from meat is just one of the practices encouraged by the Vatican during the penitential season proceeding Easter.
``Not eating meat on Fridays is just one way to show the holiness of the season,'' he says. ``Other ways are through almsgiving and prayer.''
Local fish markets are ready to supply the goods.
Frank Moncrief, owner of Ocean Seafood on Laskin Road in Virginia Beach, fondly remembers the Fridays of his childhood, when only one smell wafted through his ethnic New Jersey neighborhood: fish.
Mackerel, smelt, flounder and blue fish - and for the uninspired, fish sticks - the aroma was everywhere.
``It was unheard of to eat meat on Fridays, it was a sin,'' the fish seller recalls with a smile. ``I remember on Fridays my mother always said a novena, then cooked fish. You could count on it.''
Today Moncrief counts on customers to boost his fish sales during Lent.
``We sell more fish on Fridays in Lent than any other time during the winter,'' says the 65-year-old former Navy SEAL, who opened his fish store nine years ago. ``I always order extra flounder on Thursdays so I'm prepared.''
Fish-eating has taken a downturn lately, due, Moncrief says, to steep price increases resulting from government regulations and fishing quotas.
``I've got tuna for sale right now for $8.50 a pound,'' he says. ``You can buy steaks for $2.50 in the supermarket. It's hard to compete with that.''
During Lent, customers are willing to pay the additional money, says Georgiades, who adds that fish sales tell you something about the spiritual state of America.
``Lenten sales are good, but they're not what they used to be 10 years ago,'' he notes. ``I've also noticed that Jewish people don't buy as much gefilte fish during Passover as they used to.
``I don't know what's going on out there.''
John Georgiades is not a Catholic, but he is a big fan of the pope.
This Norfolk fishmonger especially likes the fact that the Catholic Church requires the faithful to abstain from meat on Fridays during the 40 days of Lent.
In fact, he would like to see Pope John Paul II crack down on non-observant Catholics.
``I'm behind the pope 100 percent,'' says Georgiades, owner of George's Seafood in Norfolk. ``I think all Catholics should eat fish on Fridays. Everybody else should, too.''
Almost 30 years have passed since the Vatican lifted its prohibition on eating meat on Fridays. But meatless Fridays during Lent continue, much to the relief of local fish sellers who have watched the sale of fish plummet in recent years - but pick up during Lent.
``Good Friday was one of our busiest days last year,'' says Bobby Gallagher of Colley Avenue Seafood Market. ``We were running out of fish right and left. I'm going to be ready this year.''
Ash Wednesday, this week, marked the beginning of Lent - and seven meatless Fridays. The Rev. Lou Ruoff of Holy Trinity
Catholic Church says most Catholics follow the dietary rules, which date back to the Middle Ages.
But the priest notes that abstaining from meat is just one of the practices encouraged by the Vatican during the penitential season proceeding Easter.
``Not eating meat on Fridays is just one way to show the holiness of the season,'' he says. ``Other ways are through almsgiving and prayer.''
Local fish markets are ready to supply the goods.
Frank Moncrief, owner of Ocean Seafood on Laskin Road in Virginia Beach, fondly remembers the Fridays of his childhood, when only one smell wafted through his ethnic New Jersey neighborhood: fish.
Mackerel, smelt, flounder and blue fish - and for the uninspired, fish sticks - the aroma was everywhere.
``It was unheard of to eat meat on Fridays, it was a sin,'' the fish seller recalls with a smile. ``I remember on Fridays my mother always said a novena, then cooked fish. You could count on it.''
Today Moncrief counts on customers to boost his fish sales during Lent.
``We sell more fish on Fridays in Lent than any other time during the winter,'' says the 65-year-old former Navy SEAL, who opened his fish store nine years ago. ``I always order extra flounder on Thursdays so I'm prepared.''
Fish-eating has taken a downturn lately, due, Moncrief says, to steep price increases resulting from government regulations and fishing quotas.
``I've got tuna for sale right now for $8.50 a pound,'' he says. ``You can buy steaks for $2.50 in the supermarket. It's hard to compete with that.''
During Lent, customers are willing to pay the additional money, says Georgiades, who adds that fish sales tell you something about the spiritual state of America.
``Lenten sales are good, but they're not what they used to be 10 years ago,'' he notes. ``I've also noticed that Jewish people don't buy as much gefilte fish during Passover as they used to.
``I don't know what's going on out there.'' ILLUSTRATION: COLOR PHOTO BY BETH BERGMAN\Staff
by CNB