Lent From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article is about Lent in Western Christianity.

For Lent in Orthodox Christi anity, see Great Lent. For other uses, see Lent (disambiguation). Liturgical year Western Advent Christmastide Ordinary Time Septuagesima/Pre-Lent/Shrovetide Lent Holy Week Paschal Triduum Eastertide Pentecost Ordinary Time Eastern Nativity Fast Christmastide Ordinary Time Septuagesima/Pre-Great Lent Great Lent Eastertide Apostles' Fast Ordinary Time Lent (Latin: Quadragesima - English: Fortieth) is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar of many Christian denominations that begins on Ash We dnesday and covers a period of approximately six weeks before Easter Day. The tr aditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, pen ance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement and self-denial. This event, alo ng with its pious customs are observed by Christians in the Anglican, Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist, and Roman Catholic traditions.[1][2][3] Today, some Anabapt ist and evangelical churches also observe the Lenten season.[4][5] Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week , marking the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the traditi on and events of the New Testament beginning on Friday of Sorrows, further clima xing on Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday, which ultimately culminates in the jo yful celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. During Le nt, many of the faithful commit to fasting or giving up certain types of luxurie s as a form of penitence. Many Christians also add a Lenten spiritual discipline , such as reading a daily devotional, to draw themselves near to God.[6] The Sta tions of the Cross, a devotional commemoration of Christ's carrying the Cross an d of his execution, are often observed. Many Roman Catholic and some Protestant churches remove flowers from their altars, while crucifixes, religious statues, and other elaborate religious symbols are often veiled in violet fabrics in sole mn observance of the event. Throughout Christendom, some adherents mark the seas on with the traditional abstention from the consumption of meat, most notably am ong Roman Catholics.[7] Lent is traditionally described as lasting for forty days, in commemoration of t he forty days which, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus s pent fasting in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by the Devil.[8][9] However, different Christian denominatio ns calculate the forty days of Lent differently. Historically, the season of Len t lasts from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday and includes the Paschal Triduum.[10 ][11] This duration has been maintained by most Western Christian denominations, including the Anglican Church,[12] Lutheran Church,[13] Methodist Church,[14] a nd Western Rite Orthodox Church.[15] However, after the liturgical abbreviations of the Second Vatican Council in the Roman Catholic Church, Lent, in that denom ination alone, is now taken to end on Maundy Thursday rather than Easter Eve, an

d hence lasts 38 days excluding Sundays, or 44 days in total.[10] Contents [hide] 1 Etymology 2 Duration 3 Other related fasting periods 4 Associated customs 5 Prohibition of singing the Gloria and Alleluia 6 Veiling of religious images 6.1 Pre-Lenten festivals 6.2 Fasting and abstinence 7 Media coverage 8 Facts about Lent 8.1 Easter Triduum 9 See also 10 References 11 External links Etymology[edit]

Lent celebrants carrying out a street procession during Holy Week. The violet co lor is often associated with penance and detachment. Similar Christian penitenti al practice is seen in other Catholic countries, sometimes associated with morti fication of the flesh. Granada, Nicaragua. In Latin the term quadragesima (translation of the original Greek ?essa?a??st?, Tessarakoste, the "fortieth" day before Easter) is used. This nomenclature is pr eserved in Romance, Slavic and Celtic languages (for example, Spanish cuaresma, Portuguese quaresma, French carme, Italian quaresima, Romanian paresimi, Croatian korizma, Irish Carghas, and Welsh C(a)rawys). In most Slavic languages the common name is simply a phrase meaning "fasting tim e" (as Czech postn doba) or "great fast" (as Russian ??????? ???? vyeliki post). In Tagalog, the name retains from its Spanish wording Cuaresma while the local w ording uses "Mahal na Araw" or "Beloved Days". 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 sp ring (as in the German language Lenz and Dutch lente) and derives from the Germa nic root for long because in the spring the days visibly lengthen.[16] Duration[edit] Different Christian denominations calculate the forty days of Lent differently. Historically, the season of Lent lasts from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday and i ncludes the Paschal Triduum, totaling forty days.[10][11] This duration has been maintained by most Western Christian denominations, including the Anglican Chur ch,[12] Lutheran Church,[13] Methodist Church,[14] and Western Rite Orthodox Chu rch.[15] In the Roman Catholic Church, however, since the Second Vatican Council , that denomination has affirmed that the first day of the Easter Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord's Supper, the second day begins at sundown the follow ing day, and the final day begins after sundown that Saturday. Lenten observance s are maintained until the Easter Vigil, but the liturgical season of Lent ends when Mass starts the evening of Maundy Thursday. Therefore, Roman Catholics have 44 days in Lent (inclusive of all Sundays).[17] One notable exception in the Ro man Catholic Church is the Archdiocese of Milan, which follows the Ambrosian Rit e and observes Lent starting on the Sunday six weeks before Easter, a move litur gically approved by Pope Gregory the Great.[18][19] In those churches which follow the Rite of Constantinople (e.g. Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics), the forty days of Lent are counted differently; also, t he date of Easter is calculated differently in the East than in the West (see Co mputus). The fast begins on Clean Monday, and Sundays are included in the count. Thus, counting uninterruptedly from Clean Monday, Great Lent ends on the fortiet h consecutive day, which is the Friday before Palm Sunday. The days of Lazarus S

aturday, Palm Sunday and Holy Week are considered a distinct period of fasting. For more detailed information about the Eastern Christian practice of Lent, see the article Great Lent. Among the Oriental Orthodox, there are various local traditions regarding Lent. The Coptic, Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches observe eight week s of Lent, which, with both Saturdays and Sunday mornings exempt, has forty days of fasting.[18] Only food, water and salt may be allowed during fasting, which runs for a total of 56 days.[20] Others attribute these seven days to the fast of Holofernes who asked the Syrian Christians to fast for him after they requested his assistance to repel the inv ading pagan Persians. Joyous Saturday and the week preceding it are counted sepa rately from the forty-day fast in accordance with the Apostolic Constitutions gi ving an extra eight days. Other related fasting periods[edit]

The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, most notably by the public impositio n of ashes. A Christian clergyman imposes ashes on a member of the United States Navy. The number forty has many Biblical references: the forty days Moses spent on Mou nt Sinai with God (Exodus 24:18); the forty days and nights Elijah spent walking to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8); the forty days and nights God sent rain in the g reat flood of Noah (Genesis 7:4); the forty years the Hebrew people wandered in the desert while traveling to the Promised Land (Numbers 14:33); the forty days Jonah gave in his prophecy of judgment to the city of Nineveh in which to repent or be destroyed (Jonah 3:4). Jesus retreated into the wilderness, where He fasted for forty days, and was tem pted by the devil (Matthew 4:1 2, Mark 1:12 13, Luke 4:1 2). He overcame all three of Satan's temptations by citing scripture to the devil, at which point the devil l eft him, angels ministered to Jesus, and He began His ministry. Jesus further sa id that His disciples should fast "when the bridegroom shall be taken from them" (Matthew 9:15), a reference to his Passion. Since, presumably, the Apostles fas ted as they mourned the death of Jesus, Christians have traditionally fasted dur ing the annual commemoration of his burial. It is the traditional belief that Jesus lay for forty hours in the tomb[18] whic h led to the forty hours of total fast that preceded the Easter celebration in t he early Church[21] (the biblical reference to 'three days in the tomb' is under stood as spanning three days, from Friday afternoon to early Sunday morning, rat her than three 24 hour periods of time). One of the most important ceremonies at Easter was the baptism of the initiates on Easter Eve. The fast was initially u ndertaken by the catechumens to prepare them for the reception of this sacrament . Later, the period of fasting from Good Friday until Easter Day was extended to six days, to correspond with the six weeks of training, necessary to give the f inal instruction to those converts who were to be baptized. Converts to Catholicism followed a strict catechumenate or period of instruction and discipline prior to baptism. In Jerusalem near the close of the fourth cent ury, classes were held throughout Lent for three hours each day. With the legali zation of Christianity (by the Edict of Milan) and its later imposition as the s tate religion of the Roman Empire, its character was endangered by the great inf lux of new members. In response, the Lenten fast and practices of self-renunciat ion were required annually of all Christians, both to show solidarity with the c atechumens, and for their own spiritual benefit. Associated customs[edit]

Statues and icons veiled in violet shrouds for Passiontide in St Pancras Church, Ipswich, United Kingdom. There are traditionally forty days in Lent which are marked by fasting, both fro

m foods and festivities, and by other acts of penance. The three traditional pra ctices to be taken up with renewed vigour during Lent are prayer (justice toward s God), fasting (justice towards self), and almsgiving (justice towards neighbou r). However, in modern times, observers give up an action of theirs considered to be a vice, add something that is considered to be able to bring them closer to God , and often give the time or money spent doing that to charitable purposes or or ganizations.[22] In addition, some believers add a regular spiritual discipline, such as reading a Lenten daily devotional.[6] Another practice commonly added is the singing of Stabat Mater hymn in designated groups. Among Filipino Catholics, the recitation of Jesus Christ' passion called Pasiong Mahal is also observed. In some Christi an countries, grand religious processions and cultural customs are observed, and the faithful attempt to visit seven churches during Holy Week in honor of Jesus Christ heading to Mount Calvary. In many liturgical Christian denominations, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easte r Sunday form the Easter Triduum.[23] Lent is a season of grief that necessarily ends with a great celebration of Easter. It is known in Eastern Orthodox circle s as the season of "Bright Sadness." It is a season of sorrowful reflection whic h is punctuated by breaks in the fast on Sundays. Prohibition of singing the Gloria and Alleluia[edit]

A Roman Catholic residential home altar of Our Lady of Fatima veiled for Ash Wed nesday. With silver candlesticks prepared and no flowers. SSPX, Washington D.C., United States of America. In the Roman Catholic Mass, Lutheran Divine Service, and Anglican Eucharist, the Gloria in Excelsis Deo is not normally sung during the Lenten season, disappear ing on Ash Wednesday and not returning until Maundy Thursday, the joyful commemo ration of Christ's institution of the Holy Eucharist. It may, however, be sung o n certain feasts that occur during Lent, such as the Annunciation. Likewise, the Alleluia is not sung during Lent. It is replaced before the Gospel reading by a seasonal acclamation such as "Praise to you, O Christ, king of ete rnal glory". In the pre-1970 form of the Roman Rite omission of the Alleluia beg ins with Septuagesima. Even on feasts in Lent, Alleluia is not sung. In the Byzantine Rite, the Gloria (Great Doxology) continues to be used in its n ormal place in the Matins service, and the Alleluia appears all the more frequen tly, replacing "God is the Lord" at Matins. Veiling of religious images[edit] In certain pious Catholic countries prior to the Second Vatican Council, religio us objects were veiled for the entire forty-days of Lent. Though perhaps uncommo n in the United States of America, this pious practice is consistently observed in Malaga, Seville and Barcelona, Spain, as well as in Malta, Goa, India, Peru a nd the Philippine islands (with the exception on processional images). In Irelan d prior to Vatican II, when impoverished rural Catholic convents and parishes co uld not afford purple fabrics, they resorted to either removing the statues alto gether, or if too heavy or bothersome; turned the statues to face the wall. As i s popular custom, the 14 Stations of the Cross plaques on the walls are not veil ed. A veiled altar cross at an Anglican cathedral in St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Memphis, Tennessee. Former crucifixes made before the time of Saint Francis of Assisi did not have a body corpus, therefore adorned with jewels and gemstones which was referred to as Crux Gemmatae. In order to keep the faithful from adoring the Crucifixes elab orated with ornamentation, veiling it in royal purple fabrics came into place. T he violet colour later evolved as a color of penance and mourning.

Further liturgical changes in modernity reduced it to the last week of Passionti de. In cases where no violet fabrics could be afford by the parish, only the hea ds of the statues were veiled. If there were no fabrics afforded at all, the rel igious statues and images were turned around facing the wall and flowers were al ways removed as a sign of solemn mourning. In pre-1970 forms of the Roman Rite, the last two weeks of Lent are known as Passiontide, a period beginning on the F ifth Sunday in Lent, which in the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal is called the First Sunday in Passiontide and in earlier editions Passion Sunday. All statues (and in England paintings as well) in the church were traditionally veiled in v iolet. This was seen as in keeping with the Gospel of that Sunday (John 8:46 59), in which Jesus hid himself from the people. A crucifix on the high altar is veiled for Lent. Saint Martin's parish, Wrttember g, Germany. Due to the lack of piety and ornate Catholic artwork by general within the Unite d States of America after the Second Vatican Council, the need to veil statues o r crosses became increasingly irrelevant and deemed unnecessary by various dioce san bishops. As a result, the veils were removed at the singing of the Gloria du ring the Easter Vigil. In 1970 the name "Passiontide" was dropped, although the last two weeks are markedly different from the rest of the season, and continuan ce of the tradition of veiling images is left to the decision of a country's con ference of bishops or even to individual parishes as pastors may wish. On Good Friday, the Lutherans, Methodists and Anglican churches veil "all pictur es, statutes, and the cross are covered in mourning black" while the chancel and altar coverings are replaced with black, and altar candles are extinguished." T he fabrics are then "replaced with white on sunrise on Easter Sunday".[24] Pre-Lenten festivals[edit] Main articles: Carnival, Mardi Gras, Swabian-Alemannic-Fastnacht, Maslenitsa, Pa ncake Day, and Baklahorani The traditional carnival celebrations which precede Lent in many cultures have b ecome associated with the season of fasting if only because they are a last oppo rtunity for excess before Lent begins. The most famous pre-Lenten carnival in th e world is celebrated in Rio de Janeiro; other famous Carnivals are held in Trin idad & Tobago, Venice, Cologne, Tenerife, Mobile, AL, St. Louis, MO, and New Orl eans, LA. It is known by the name Mardi Gras, Pancake Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, o r Fat Tuesday. In Lebanon and Syria, the last Thursday before Lent begins, Catholics celebrate Khamis el sakara where they indulge themselves with alcoholic drinks. Fasting and abstinence[edit] Fasting during Lent was more severe in ancient times than today. Socrates Schola sticus reports that in some places, all animal products were strictly forbidden, while others will permit fish, others permit fish and fowl, others prohibit fru it and eggs, and still others eat only bread. In some places, the observant abstained from food for an entire day; others took only one meal each day, while others abstained from all food until mid-afternoo n. In most places the practice was to abstain from eating until the evening, whe n a small meal without vegetables or alcohol was eaten.[citation needed] During the early Middle Ages, meat, eggs and dairy products were generally forbi dden. Thomas Aquinas argued that "they afford greater pleasure as food [than fis h], and greater nourishment to the human body, so that from their consumption th ere results a greater surplus available for seminal matter, which when abundant becomes a great incentive to lust."[25] A caricature mockery of Jesus Christ, wearing a purple robe with a bucket as cro wn of thorns and stick as reed, is mocked and ridiculed representing the gore of Lent and personified at a European Carnival celebration. Oil painting "The Batt le between Carnival and Lent" by artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Circa 1558-155 9.

However, dispensations for dairy products were given, frequently for a donation[ citation needed], from which several churches are popularly believed to have bee n 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[26] and eggs during Lent in exchange for a co ntribution to the conflict. Giraldus Cambrensis in his Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through Wales reports that "in Germany and the arctic regions," "great and religious persons," eat th e tail of beavers as "fish" because of its superficial resemblance to "both the taste and colour of fish." The animal was also very abundant in Wales at the tim e.[27] In current Western societies the practice is considerably relaxed, though in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches abstinence fr om all animal products including fish, eggs, fowl and milk sourced from animals (e.g. goats and cows as opposed to the milk of soy beans and coconuts) is still commonly practiced, meaning only vegetarian (vegan) meals are consumed in many E astern countries[which?] for the entire fifty-five days of their Lent. In the Ro man Catholic Church for the duration of Lent, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday i t is required to eat less than is customary for the day, with no meat, eating on ly one full meal and two small meals also totalling less than a full meal.[28] Pursuant to Canon 1253, days of fasting and abstinence are set by the national E piscopal Conference. Parallel to the fasting laws are the laws of abstinence. Th ese bind those over the age of fourteen. On days of abstinence, the person must not eat meat or poultry. According to canon law, all Fridays of the year, Ash We dnesday and several other days are days of abstinence, though in most countries, the strict requirements for abstinence have been limited by the bishops (in acc ordance with Canon 1253) to the Fridays of Lent and Ash Wednesday. On other abst inence days, the faithful are invited to perform some other act of penance. Exceptions to abstinence on Fridays during the Lenten Season can occur through t he dispensation of a particular bishop. For example, in the United States in are as where the diocesan patron is St. Patrick (as in the Archdiocese of New York a nd Los Angeles) or where many Catholics share an Irish heritage (as in Boston), if St. Patrick's Day (17 March) falls on a Friday, the local bishop or archbisho p can grant a dispensation to all Catholics of the diocese from abstinence. (App roximately one third of all Catholic dioceses in the United States grant such a dispensation.[29]) More universally, this occurs on the solemnities of St. Joseph and the Annunciat ion, which are on 19 and 25 March respectively (unless they conflict with a day of high rank in the calendar of the season). If those two solemnities, although not Holy Days of Obligation, fall on a Friday during Lent then the obligation to abstain is abrogated. Similarly, during those two solemnities, the faithful may temporarily partake of anything they gave up for Lent, unless they were trying to give up a habitual sin as their Lenten offering- which is not uncommon.[30] Contemporary legislation is rooted in the 1966 Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pa ul VI, Paenitemini. He recommended that fasting be appropriate to the local econ omic situation, and that all Catholics voluntarily fast and abstain. He also all owed that fasting and abstinence might be substituted with prayer and works of c harity in nations with a lower standard of living. After the Reformation, in the Lutheran Church, "Church orders of the 16th centur y retained the observation of the Lenten fast, and Lutherans have observed this season with a serene, earnest attitude."[2] In the Anglican Church, Saint August ine's Prayer Book, a companion to the Book of Common Prayer, states that fasting is "usually meaning not more than a light breakfast, one full meal, and one hal f meal, on the forty days of Lent." It further states that "the major Fast Days of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, as the American Prayer-Book indicates, are str icter in obligation, though not in observance, than the other Fast Days, and the refore should not be neglected except in cases of serious illness or other neces sity of an absolute character."[31]

In many pious Catholic countries, religious processions such as Lent are often a ccompanied by a military escort both for security and parade. Ceuta, Spain. Traditionally, on Sunday and the hours before sunrise and after sunset some Chur ches such as Episcopalians allow 'breaks' in their lent promises, Roman Catholic s may cease their fasting and start again whatever they gave up for Lent, after they attend Mass on Easter Sunday. Orthodox Christians break their fast after th e Paschal Vigil (a service which starts around 11:00 pm on Holy Saturday), which includes the Paschal celebration of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. At the end of the service, the priest blesses eggs, cheese, flesh meats and othe r items that the faithful have been abstaining from for the duration of Great Le nt. Lenten traditions and liturgical practices are less common, less binding and som etimes non-existent or non-compulsory in tone among some liberal and progressive Christians since they do not generally emphasize piety and the mortification of the flesh as a significant virtue.[32] A greater emphasis on the anticipation o f Easter Sunday is often more encouraged than the desolate theme of Lent or Holy Week.[33] In modern times, some progressive Christian denominations as well as secular gro ups re-interpret the theme of Lent in a more joyful, positive tone, or engage it s purpose towards non-religious causes such as environmental stewardship or heal th-related improvements via fasting.[34][35][36] Media coverage[edit] During Lent, BBC's Radio Four normally broadcasts a series of fifteen-minute pro grammes called the Lent Talks. These are fifteen-minute programmes that are norm ally broadcast on a Wednesday, and have featured various speakers. Facts about Lent[edit] Question book-new.svg This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this s ection by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challe nged and removed. (January 2013) See also: Easter Triduum The site of Golgotha, Mount Calvary, where Sacred Tradition claims Jesus' site o f death and crucifixion. Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Old Jerusalem. There are several holy days within the season of Lent: Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent for Roman Catholics and most mainline Ref ormed and Protestant traditions. Clean Monday (or "Ash Monday") is the first day of Lent in Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches. By Pontifical decree, there is no Ash Wednesday in the Ambrosian Rite, and Lent begins liturgically on what the Roman Rite regards as first Sunday in Lent. Trad itionally, the fast began on the first Monday of Lent as also reflected in the M ozarabic rite. The Sundays in Lent carry Latin names in German Lutheranism, derived from the be ginning of the Sunday's introit. The first is called Invocabit, the second Remin iscere, the third Oculi, the fourth Laetare, the fifth Judica. The sixth Sunday is Palm Sunday. The fourth Sunday in Lent, which marks the halfway point between Ash Wednesday a nd Easter, is referred to as Laetare Sunday by Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and m any other Christians because of the traditional Entrance Antiphon of the Mass. D ue to the more "joyful" character of the day (since laetare in Latin means "rejo ice"), the priest (as well as deacon and subdeacon) has the option of wearing ve stments of a rose colour (pink) instead of violet. The fourth Lenten Sunday, Mothering Sunday, which has become known as Mother's D ay in the United Kingdom and an occasion for honouring mothers of children, has its origin in a sixteenth-century celebration of the Mother Church. The fifth Sunday in Lent, also known as Passion Sunday (however, that term is al

so applied to Palm Sunday) marks the beginning of Passiontide. The sixth Sunday in Lent, commonly called Palm Sunday, marks the beginning of Ho ly Week, the final week of Lent immediately preceding Easter. Wednesday of Holy Week, Holy Wednesday (also sometimes known as Spy Wednesday) c ommemorates the day on which Judas spied on Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane be fore 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. The next day is Good Friday, on which Christians remember Jesus' crucifixion and burial. Easter Triduum[edit] In the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Old Catholic, and many other churches , the Easter Triduum is a three-day event that begins with the entrance hymn of the Mass of the Lord's Supper. After this Maundy Thursday evening celebration, t he consecrated Hosts are taken from the altar solemnly to a place of reposition where the faithful are invited to worship the holy Body of Christ. On the next d ay the liturgical commemoration of the Passion of Jesus Christ is celebrated at 3 pm, unless a later time is chosen due to work schedules. This service consists of readings from the Scriptures especially John the Evange list's account of the Passion of Jesus, followed by prayers, veneration of the c ross of Jesus, and a communion service at which the hosts consecrated at the eve ning Mass of the day before are distributed. The Easter Vigil during the night b etween Holy Saturday afternoon and Easter Sunday morning starts with the blessin g of a fire and a special candle and with readings from Scripture associated wit h baptism, then the Gloria in Excelsis Deo is sung, water is blessed, baptism an d confirmation of adults may take place, and the people are invited to renew the promises of their own baptism, and finally Mass is celebrated in the usual way from the Preparation of the Gifts onwards. Holy Week and the season of Lent, depending on denomination and local custom, en d with Easter Vigil at sundown on Holy Saturday or on the morning of Easter Sund ay. It is custom for some churches to hold sunrise services which include open a ir celebrations in some places. In the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and many Anglican churches, the priest's vestme nts are violet during the season of Lent. On the fourth Sunday in Lent, rose-col oured (pink) vestments may be worn in lieu of violet. In some Anglican churches, a type of unbleached linen or muslin known as Lenten array is used during the f irst three weeks of Lent, and crimson during Passiontide. On holy days, the colo ur proper to the day is worn.[37] Today, some atheists who find value in the Chr istian tradition, also observe Lent.[38] See also[edit] Portal icon Christianity portal Counting of the Omer Fasting in the Eastern Orthodox Church Fasting and abstinence in the Roman Catholic Church Fasting and abstinence of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Fast of Nineveh People's Sunday Quinquagesima Tisha B'Av Non-Judeo-Christian: Cold Food Festival Ramadan Vassa General: Asceticism References[edit] Jump up ^ Comparative Religion For Dummies. For Dummies. Retrieved 8 March 2011. "This is the day Lent begins. Christians go to church to pray and have a cross

drawn in ashes on their foreheads. The ashes drawn on ancient tradition represen t repentance before God. The holiday is part of Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Method ist, and Episcopalian liturgies, among others." ^ Jump up to: a b Gassmann, Gnther (4 January 2001). Historical Dictionary of Lut heranism. Scarecrow Press, Inc. p. 180. ISBN 081086620X. Jump up ^ Benedict, Philip (3 March 2014). Christ's Churches Purely Reformed: A Social History of Calvinism. Yale University Press. p. 506. ISBN 030010507X. Jump up ^ Mennonite Stew - A Glossary: Lent. Third Way Caf. Retrieved 24 February 2012. "Traditionally, Lent was not observed by the Mennonite church, and only r ecently have more modern Mennonite churches started to focus on the six week sea son preceding Easter." Jump up ^ Brumley, Jeff. "Lent not just for Catholics, but also for some Baptist s and other evangelicals". The Florida Times Union. Retrieved 3 March 2014. ^ Jump up to: a b Crumm, David. Our Lent, 2nd Edition. ISBN 1934879509. Jump up ^ This practice is observed in numerous pious Catholic countries, althou gh the form of abstention may vary depending on what is customary. Some abstain from meat for 40 days, some do so only on Fridays, or some only on Good Friday i tself. By pontifical decree under Pope Alexander VI, eggs and dairy products may be consumed by penitents during Lent in Spain and its colonized territories. Jump up ^ "What is Lent and why does it last forty days?". The United Methodist Church. Retrieved 24 August 2007. Jump up ^ "The Liturgical Year". The Anglican Catholic Church. Retrieved 24 Augu st 2007. ^ Jump up to: a b c Akin, James. "All About Lent". EWTN. Retrieved 3 March 2014. ^ Jump up to: a b The Roman and the Lutheran Observance of Lent. Luther League o f America. 1920. p. 5. ^ Jump up to: a b Kitch, Anne E. (10 January 2003). The Anglican Family Prayer B ook. Church Publishing, Inc. p. 130. ^ Jump up to: a b The Northwestern Lutheran, Volumes 60-61. Northwestern Publish ing House. 1973. p. 66. ^ Jump up to: a b Langford, Andy (4 January 1993). Blueprints for worship: a use r's guide for United Methodist congregations. Abingdon Press. p. 96. ^ Jump up to: a b Fenton, John. "The Holy Season of Lent in the Western Traditio n". Western Rite of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North Ameri ca. Retrieved 3 March 2014. Jump up ^ Lent Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 8 March 2009. Jump up ^ General Norms for the Liturgical Year and Calendar ^ Jump up to: a b c Catholic Encyclopedia Lent See paragraph: Duration of the Fa st Jump up ^ The "Secret of the Mass" in the First Sunday of Lent - "Sacrificium Qu adragesimalis Initii", Missale Romanum Ambrosianus Jump up ^ The Ethiopian Tewahedo Orthodox Church Faith and Order - Liturgical Ca lendar - http://www.ethiopianorthodox.org/english/calendar.html Jump up ^ Lent & Beyond: Dr. Peter Toon From Septuagesima to Quadragesima (web sit e gone, no alternate source found, originally cited 27 August 2010) Jump up ^ "Lent disciplines and practices". Spirit Home. Retrieved 27 August 2010. [self-published source?] Jump up ^ "General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, 19". Catholic liturgy.com. Retrieved 27 August 2010. Jump up ^ Bratcher, Dennis. "The Days of Holy Week". CRI. Jump up ^ "'''Summa Theologica''' Q147a8". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 27 August 20 10. Jump up ^ Alejandro Torres Gutirrez, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. "Millenni um:Fear and Religion". Archived from the original on 18 August 2002. Jump up ^ "Baldwin's Itinerary Through Wales No. 2 by Giraldus Cambrensis". Gute nberg.org. 31 December 2001. Retrieved 27 August 2010. Jump up ^ Colin B. Donovan, Fast and Abstinence. Retrieved 28 December 2007. Jump up ^ Engber, Daniel (15 March 2006). "Thou Shalt Eat Corned Beef on Friday: Who Sets the Rules on Lent?". Slate. Retrieved 13 February 2010. Jump up ^ "Canon 1251 of the Code of Canon Law". Vatican.va. Retrieved 27 August

2010. Jump up ^ "The Church's Discipline as to Fasting and Abstinence". Anglican Commu nion. Retrieved 3 March 2014. Jump up ^ http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markdroberts/series/ash-wednesday-practic e-and-meaning/ Jump up ^ http://www.peterlang.com/index.cfm?event=cmp.ccc.seitenstruktur.detail seiten&seitentyp=produkt&pk=54122&cid=690 Jump up ^ Hebden, Keith (3 March 2014). "This Lent I will eat no food, to highli ght the hunger all around us". The Guardian. Jump up ^ http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/03/02/believe-it-or-not-cat holics-observing-lent-save-ou.aspx Jump up ^ http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/diets/462947/Cut-out-one-treat-for -Lent-and-your-waistline-could-reap-the-benefits Jump up ^ The Church of England rubric states: "The colour for a particular serv ice should reflect the predominant theme. If the Collect, Readings, etc. on a Le sser Festival are those of the saint, then either red (for a martyr) or white is used; otherwise, the colour of the season is retained." See page 532 here. Jump up ^ Winston, Kimberly. "After giving up religion, atheists try giving up s omething else for Lent". Religion News Service. Retrieved 19 March 2013. External links[edit] Look up Lent in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. The Lenten Season and How To Observe Lent Lent: Catholic Encyclopedia Daily Lenten Devotional - LHM Methodist Church: Lent and Easter Resources Bright Sadness -a Lenten devotional from a Christian-non-sectarian point of view , marking the milestones of Lent [show] v t e Easter Categories: FastingCatholic liturgyChristian festivals and holy daysChristian te rmsEasterEastern Orthodox liturgical daysEastern OrthodoxyEastern Christian litu rgyLiturgical calendarReligious holidays Navigation menu Create accountLog inArticleTalkReadEditView history Main page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Donate to Wikipedia Wikimedia Shop Interaction Help About Wikipedia Community portal Recent changes Contact page Tools Print/export Languages Alemannisch nglisc ??????? ????? Bosanski Catal Ce tina Deitsch

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