Final answer:
The early days of fasting and penance in religious traditions are observed in the Latin Catholic Church and during Ramadan in Islam. These practices are rooted in spiritual discipline and historical cultural beliefs concerning atonement and spiritual connection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two early days of fasting and penance in religious traditions are the Latin Catholic Church observance and the Islamic practice during Ramadan. For the Latin Catholic Church, fasting is obligatory from age 18 until age 59 and consists of one full meal and two smaller meals per day, with abstinence from meat after age 14. In Islam, Ramadan is observed through a daily fast from sunup to sundown, where even water is prohibited during the fasting hours. This fasting is seen as a way to commemorate the prophet Muhammad receiving the revelations of the Quran. Both practices reflect a spiritual discipline, where fasting represents atonement and a deeper spiritual connection. In addition, these practices are also seen in a historical and cultural context. In medieval times, events like illness and crop failures were connected with spiritual causes, and fasting could serve as an act of penance. Likewise, asceticism in Christianity marked a devotion through fasting and self-denial. Historical accounts, like those of the hunger artist, further illustrate the varied perspectives and evolving social attitudes towards fasting throughout history.