- Lent is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting and giving, held in preparation for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.
- This year, Lent begins on March 5 and ends on April 17.
- Lent is 40 days long to represent the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert before starting his own ministry.
In a few days, Christians will begin practicing the 40-day season of prayer, fasting and giving, known as Lent. The period is held each spring as a preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.
Lent has been celebrated by Christians all over the world for thousands of years. The 64th leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Gregory, set the first official period of Lent in 601 AD, according to the Museum of the Bible. At this time, Lent was 46 days, which allowed for 40 days of fasting − only one meal and no meat was allowed − with six Sundays counted as feast days.
Pope Gregory, according to the Museum of the Bible, was also the one to establish the tradition of marking the foreheads of worshipers with ashes in the shape of the cross on Ash Wednesday.
This year’s Lent occurs as Pope Francis remains hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, after being placed in critical condition over the weekend. The pope was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 14 for a respiratory illness. On Wednesday, the Vatican reported that Francis showed a “slight improvement,” after a chest CT scan showed normal progression of his lung inflammation.
Here’s what to know about this year’s Lent.
‘Prognosis cautious’:Pope Francis ‘critical but stable’ as he works from hospital
When does Lent begin?
This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, March 5. The first day of Lent is called Ash Wednesday.
When does Lent end?
Lent ends on Thursday, April 17 this year, also called Holy Thursday.
Why is Lent 40 days?
Lent’s 40 days represents the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert before starting his public ministry.
Why does Lent involve fasting?
Fasting during Lent represents the fasting Jesus did while in the desert.
“Abstinence is a form of penance. Penance expresses sorrow and contrition for our wrongdoing, indicates our intention to turn away from sin and turn back to God,” the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis shared on its website.
What does the ash cross smudged on worshipers’ forehead mean?
During Ash Wednesday, ashes are placed on a worshiper’s forehead in the shape of the cross. This represents that a person belongs to Jesus Christ and that a person is grieving and morning for their sins.
Why do worshipers abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent?
During Lent, some worshipers abstain from eating flesh meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and each Friday.
Worshipers abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent to honor Jesus sacrificing his flesh on Good Friday, according to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis. Flesh meat includes beef, pork, chicken and turkey. Fish are not considered flesh meat.
Non-flesh products, like milk, cheese, butter and eggs, are not prohibited during Lent.
Contributing: Dwight Adams and Aaron A. Bedoya, El Paso Times, John Bacon, USA TODAY
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].
