The 40 days of Lent, which precedes Easter is based on two Biblical accounts: the 40 years of wilderness wandering by the Israelites and our Lord's 40 days in the wilderness at which point He was tempted by Satan. Each year the Church observes …

Lent and Fasting: Origins and Histories. It's the sacred season of Lent. Recall that the three disciplines of Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. One of the questions people frequently have about Lent pertains to fasting. For example, why is it important? Is it required? And what's the history of fasting in the Church?

Lent is a season of prayer and fasting before Easter. The season lasts 46 days and during this time, Catholics attend Mass and Reconciliation, make personal sacrifices, and perform additional acts of service and devotion. Lent ends with Easter …

Feb 24, 2025 · Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that invites Catholics to draw closer to God and reflect on the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This is ...

Feb 21, 2025 · As Ash Wednesday draws near, Catholics across the globe prepare for the beginning of Lent--a solemn period of penance, reflection, and renewal. The Lenten season is not only a time to sacrifice ...

Mar 17, 2017 · What is the color of Lent? Purple is the color of Lent and it symbolizes repentance as well as the royalty of Christ as King of all Kings. Before Jesus was crucified, he was dressed in a purple robe and a crown of thorns was placed on his head (see Mark 15:17).

Apr 17, 2023 · Catholic open the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday, a day devoted to fasting, reconciliation, and prayer. For the next 46 days, Catholics will strive to empty their hearts of worldly desires so they can be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Mardi Gras is a fundamentally Catholic celebration in which one partakes of indulgences prior to beginning the Lenten period of prayer and fasting. Today, Mardi Gras has been heavily secularized and associated with vice. Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday.

Mar 6, 2019 · Lent is celebrated for 40 days simply because Sundays are not included in Lent, despite the popularity of most Catholic communities including each Sunday. During these "free" days, it is traditional to commemorate the resurrection of Christ by celebrating and feasting.

From what has been said it will be clear that in the early Middle Ages Lent throughout the greater part of the Western Church consisted of forty weekdays, which were all fast days, and six Sundays.