mafketis: But no dairy? I really haven't heard of that and I think some wigilia dishes use some dairy products.
It's simply to make the fasting stricter, purely vegetarian dishes, no animal products of any kind. Fasting was the traditional way of preparing for the most important religious events, like Christmas or Easter. In the old days people used to fast all through the Advent - from the end of November. I suppose they ate dairy products though, otherwise the milk would go to waste and many couldn't afford it. The fasting was also quite pragmatic, all the goodies were to be saved for Christmas time.
Anyway, this was the peasants' tradition - herring all the way.
I suppose some older people, especially in the countryside, still stick to the 'no dairy on Christmas Eve' rule. My grandmothers did, my mother and aunts do too. I seem to remember that the Church has allowed dairy products quite recently, some 15-20 years ago. I'm not sure, as for me its rather a matter of tradition, not so much of religion. Before it was strict fasting, meaning no animal products at all.
And no, I think there's no dairy in the traditional Wigilia menu. If you find eggs or milk in the recipes, it's just recent modifications, originally they weren't there.
Seanus: Any Biblical authority for those customs developing?
You're forgetting that Catholicism is more about tradition than about the contents of the Bible ;) You're clearly stained with the Protestant way of thinking ;)
Seanus: But pam's friend did eat meat. AG Catholic, LOL :)
well, the contraceptives are forbidden too...
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