In most
Christian denominations, 'Lent' is the forty-day period (or
season) lasting from
Ash Wednesday to
Holy Saturday.
[1] However, in the
Catholic Church, Lent does not end on Holy Saturday, but rather, on
Maundy Thursday.
[2] The forty days represents the time
Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of
Satan.
[3] Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-
Easter" celebration of the Jesus' victory over
sin and death.
[3] Lent is a time of preparation for
Holy Week, which recalls the events linked to the
Passion of Christ and culminates in the
Easter, the celebration of the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Origins
The forty-day period is symbolic of the 40 days spent by
Jesus in the wilderness. The number forty has many other Biblical significances: the forty days
Moses spent on
Mount Sinai with God; the forty days and nights
Elijah spent walking to
Mt. Horeb;
God makes it rain for forty days and forty nights in the story of
Noah; the Hebrew people wandered forty years traveling to the
Promised Land;
Jonah in his prophecy of
judgment gave the city of
Nineveh forty days
grace in which to repent.
Jesus retreated into the wilderness, where he fasted for forty days, and was tempted by the
devil. Jesus overcame all of the
temptations of the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life by citing scripture to the devil, at which point the devil left him, angels ministered to Jesus, and he began his
ministry.
The Lenten period of forty days owes its origin to the
Latin word ''quadragesima'', referring to the forty hours of total fast that preceded the Easter celebration in the
early Church.
[5] The main ceremony was the
baptism of the initiates on
Easter Eve. The fast was in preparation to receive this
sacrament. Later, the period from
Good Friday until
Easter Day was extended to six days, to correspond with the six weeks of training, necessary to instruct the
converts who were to be baptized.
Converts to Christianity followed a strict instruction schedule. In
Jerusalem near the close of the fourth century, classes were held throughout seven weeks of Lent for three hours each day. With the imposition of
Christianity as the
state religion of the
Roman Empire, its character was endangered by the great influx of new members. In response, the Lenten fast and practices of
self-renunciation were required of all Christians. The less zealous of the converts were thus brought more securely into the Christian fold.
Traditionally, On Easter Sunday, Catholics may cease their fasting and start again whatever they gave up for lent, after they attend Sunday mass.
Name
In the English language, Lent was formerly referred to by the Latin term ''quadragesima'' (or the "fortieth day" before Easter). This nomenclature is preserved in
Romance,
Slavic and
Celtic languages (for example,
Spanish ''cuaresma'',
Portuguese ''quaresma'',
French ''carême'',
Italian ''quaresima'',
Croatian ''korizma'',
Irish ''Carghas'', and
Welsh ''C(a)rawys'').
In the late
Middle Ages, as
sermons began to be given in the
vernacular instead of Latin, the
English word ''lent'' was adopted. This word initially simply meant ''spring'' and derives from the
Germanic root for ''spring'' (specifically
Old English ''lencten''; also the
Anglo-Saxon name for March—''lenct''—as the main part of Lent, before Easter, usually occurred in March). In modern Dutch, the word for "spring" is still "lente", while the 40-days fasting period is called "vasten".
The use of this particular term to describe the period at this point is unique to English.
Customs during the time of Lent
There are traditionally forty days in Lent which are marked by fasting, both from foods and festivities, and by other acts of
penance. The three traditional practices to be taken up with renewed vigour during Lent are
prayer (
justice towards God), fasting (justice towards self), and
almsgiving (justice towards neighbour). Today, some people give up something they enjoy, add something that will bring them closer to God, and often give the time or money spent doing that to
charitable purposes or organizations.
[6]
In many
liturgical Christian denominations,
Maundy Thursday (also called "Holy Thursday," especially by Roman Catholics),
Good Friday, and
Holy Saturday form the
Easter Triduum. Lent is a season of grief that necessarily ends with a great celebration of Easter, it is known in
Eastern Orthodox circles as the season of "Bright Sadness." It is a season of sorrowful
reflection which is punctuated by breaks in the fast on Sundays.
The Lent semi-fast may have originated for practical reasons: during the era of
subsistence agriculture in the West as food stored away in the previous autumn was running out, or had to be used up before it went bad in store, and little or no new food-crop was expected soon (compare the period in Spring which
British gardeners call the "
hungry gap").
In the
Roman Catholic Mass,
Lutheran Divine Service, and
Anglican Eucharist, the ''
Gloria in Excelsis Deo'' is not sung during the Lenten season, disappearing on Ash Wednesday and not returning until the moment of the Resurrection during the
Easter Vigil. On major feast days, the ''Gloria in Excelsis Deo'' is recited, but this in no way diminishes the penitential character of the season; it simply reflects the joyful character of the Mass of the day in question. It is also used on Maundy Thursday. Likewise, the ''
Alleluia'' is not sung during Lent; it is replaced before the
Gospel reading by a seasonal
acclamation.
Traditionally, the ''Alleluia'' was omitted at Mass beginning at
Septuagesima, but in the Missal of Paul VI (1969) promulgated after the
Second Vatican Council it is retained it until Ash Wednesday. The older practise is retained in the Missal of John XXIII (1962) which is attended by
traditionalists.
Pre-Lenten festivals
Although originally of
pagan content, the traditional
carnival celebrations which precede Lent in many cultures have become associated with the season of fasting if only because they are a last opportunity for excess before Lent begins. The most famous of pre-Lenten carnivals in the
West is
Shrove Tuesday or
Mardi Gras.
Fasting and abstinence
Fasting during Lent was more severe in ancient times than today.
Socrates Scholasticus reports that in some places, all animal products were strictly forbidden, while others will permit fish, others permit fish and fowl, others prohibit fruit and eggs, and still others eat only bread. In some places, believers abstained from food for an entire day; others took only one meal each day, while others abstained from all food until 3 o'clock. In most places, however, the practice was to abstain from eating until the evening, when a small meal without meat or alcohol was eaten.
During the
early Middle Ages, meat, eggs and dairy products were generally proscribed.
Thomas Aquinas argued that "they afford greater pleasure as food [than fish], and greater nourishment to the human body, so that from their consumption there results a greater surplus available for seminal matter, which when abundant becomes a great incentive to lust."
[7]
However,
dispensations for dairy products were given, frequently for a donation, from which several churches are popularly believed to have been built, including the "Butter Tower" of the
Rouen Cathedral.
In Spain, the
bull of the Holy Crusade (renewed periodically after 1492) allowed the consumption of dairy products
[8] and eggs during Lent in exchange for a contribution to the war against Islam.
Giraldus Cambrensis in his ''Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through Wales'' reports that "in
Germany and the
arctic regions," "great and religious persons," classified the tail of
beavers as "fish" because of its superficial resemblance to a fish and their relative abundance.
Today, in the West, the practice is considerably relaxed, though in the Eastern Orthodox,
Oriental Orthodox and
Eastern Catholic Churches abstinence from the above-mentioned food products is still commonly practiced, meaning only vegetarian meals are consumed during this time in many Eastern countries. Lenten practices (as well as various other liturgical practices) are more common in
Protestant circles than they once were. In the Roman Catholic Church it is tradition to abstain from meat every Friday for the duration of Lent, although fish and dairy products are still permitted. On Ash Wednesday it is customary to fast for the day, with no meat, eating only one full meal, and if necessary, two small meals also.
Current fasting practice in the Roman Catholic Church binds persons over the age of 14 and younger than fifty-nine (
Canon 1251). Pursuant to Canon 1253, days of fasting and
abstinence are set by the national
Episcopal conference. On days of fasting, one eats only one full meal, but may eat two smaller meals as necessary to keep up one's strength. The two small meals together must sum to less than the one full meal. Parallel to the fasting laws are the laws of abstinence. These bind those over the age of eighteen. On days of abstinence, the person must not eat meat or poultry. According to
canon law, all Fridays of the year, Ash Wednesday and several other days are days of abstinence, though in most countries, the strict requirements of abstinence have been limited by the
bishops (in accordance with Canon 1253) to the Fridays of Lent and Ash Wednesday. On other abstinence days, the faithful are invited to perform some other act of penance.
Many modern
Protestants consider the observation of Lent to be a choice, rather than an obligation. They may decide to give up a
favorite food or drink (e.g. chocolate, alcohol) or activity (e.g. going to the movies, playing video games) for Lent, or they may instead decide to take on a Lenten discipline such as
devotions,
volunteering for
charity work, and so forth. Roman Catholics may also observe Lent in this way, in addition to the dietary restrictions outlined above, though observation is no longer mandatory under the threat of
mortal sin. Many Christians who choose not to follow the dietary restrictions cite
1 Timothy 4:1-5 which warns of doctrines that "forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth."
Holy Days
There are several holy days within the season of Lent.
★
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in Western Christianity.
★
Clean Monday (or "Ash Monday") is the first day in Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
★ 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.
★ The fifth Lenten Sunday, also known as
Passion Sunday (however, that term is also applied to
Palm Sunday) marks the beginning of
Passiontide.
★ The sixth Lenten Sunday, commonly called
Palm Sunday, marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent immediately preceding Easter.
★ Wednesday of Holy Week is known as
Spy Wednesday to commemorate the days on which
Judas spied on Jesus in the garden of
Gethsemane before betraying him.
★ Thursday is known as
Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday, and is a day Christians commemorate the
Last Supper shared by Christ with his
disciples.
★
Good Friday follows the next day, on which Christians remember His
crucifixion and
burial.
:In the Roman Catholic Church,
Mass is a three day event called the
Easter Triduum that begins with the opening song of the Holy Thursday celebration. After the Holy Thursday celebration, the communion bread and wine is taken from the altar with no formal closing. Instead, the parish is invited to worship the (holy Body of Christ). The next day is the official commemoration of The Passion of Jesus Christ and is usually celebrated at 3 PM local time though some parishes usually change the time due to work schedules. This commemoration is part of the Triduum Mass which the opening is just a prayer followed by the day's readings. The service usually ends with a shortened communion involving only the Body of Christ and a post communion prayer before the service ends without dismissal. The
Easter Vigil is the start of the end of the Triduum mass and usually starts with a fire service before the readings which explore the history of mankind. The service also includes
baptism and
confirmation services which are usually celebrated after the homily. The Easter Vigil and Triduum Mass ends in the usual way with full communion.
Holy Week and the season of Lent, depending on
denomination and local
custom, end with Easter Vigil at sundown on Holy Saturday or on the morning of Easter Sunday. It is custom for some churches to hold sunrise services which include open air celebrations in some places.
In the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican traditions, the
altar linens and
priest's vestments are
violet during the season of Lent. However, during the holy days the
linens often change. See
Liturgical colours.
There are some
Christian denominations that do not practice Lent and see it as an obscure tradition that the
Church practices without
Biblical merit.
[9]
References
1. The Liturgical Year
2. Lent in the Catholic Church
3. What is Lent and why does it last forty days?
4. What is Lent and why does it last forty days?
5. Lent & Beyond: Dr. Peter Toon—From Septuagesima to Quadragesima
6. Spirit Home: Lent—disciplines and practices
7. 'Summa Theologica' Q147a8.
8. ''Implicaciones económicas del miedo religioso en dos instituciones del Antiguo Régimen: la Inquisición y la Bula de Cruzada.'', Alejandro Torres Gutiérrez, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. ''Millennium:Fear and Religion''.
9. The Restored Church of God: The True Meaning of Lent
See also
★
Asceticism
★
Ash Wednesday
★
Carnival
★
Clean Monday
★
Cold Food Festival
★
Easter
★
Good Friday
★
Maundy Thursday
★
People's Sunday
★
Quinquagesima
★
Ramadan
★
Shrove Tuesday
★
Tisha B'Av
External links
★
United Methodist Church: Lent and Easter
★
Lent: Prayer and Practice
★
Lenten Resources
★
Orthodox Lenten Resources
★
Lent in the Armenian Orthodox Church tradition
★
The Season of Lent at the Christian Resource Institute
★
Online Lenten Devotional
★
Liturgical Resources
★
Catholic Encyclopedia: Lent
★
United Methodist Church: Lent and Easter Resources
★
Lent and Fasting in the Ukrainian Church — a very good source to learn the differences between Lent in the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.
★
The Season of Lent in the Catholic Church
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