Summary
Lent is the 40-day liturgical season of fasting and prayer before Easter. The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the Christian believer-through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial-for the annual commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus, as celebrated during Holy Week, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lent also is a time of preparation for those who desire to be baptized. In Western Christianity, Lent lasts from Ash Wednesday until Holy Saturday. The Ash Wednesday ritual of applying ashes to the believer's forehead, often with the verbal reminder from Gen. 3:19 that "you are dust and to dust you shall return," sets the tone for this liturgical season. The six Sundays in Lent are not counted among the 40 days. The season ends with the Easter celebration and an equally poignant reminder from Luke 24:5- 6 not to seek the living among the dead. "He is not here. He is risen." In those faith communities which follow the Byzantine tradition-Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics-the 40 days of Lent are calculated differently: the fast begins on Clean Monday, Sundays are included in the count, and it ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday. The days of Lazarus Saturday, Palm Sunday and Holy Week are considered a distinct period of fasting.
Marking the timeSee the full content of this document
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Ash Wednesday Begins Season of Lent
There are several holy days within the season of Lent. Here are this year's dates:
* Feb. 6: Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in Western Christianity.* March 2: The fourth Lenten Sunday, which marks the halfway point between Ash Wednesday and Easter, is sometimes referred to as Laetare Sunday, particularly by Roman Catholics.* March 10: Clean Monday or "Ash Monday" is th...See the full content of this document
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