What is Lent? Origin, dates and associated practices
What are the origins of Lent?
The term “Lent” comes from the Latin quadragesimawhich means “fortieth,” referring to the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert before his public ministry. Thus, the period of Lent designates the preparatory period for the commemoration of the passion of Christ but also of his resurrection, at Easter.
Until the 4th century, the day of preparation for Easter varied. It was the Council of Nicaea, in 325, which made Lent a specific liturgical season lasting 40 days, devoted in particular to the teaching of catechumens who were and are still baptized at Easter. Today is above all a time of prayer, purification, fight against temptations, charity and preparation for the Easter feast. Three specific practices exist to live it fully: fasting, prayer and almsgiving.
On this subject, Saint Josemaría Escrivá (1902 – 1975) wrote: “We cannot consider Lent as any period, cyclical repetition of the liturgical year. This moment is unique; it is divine help to welcome Jesus who passes by us, and expects from us – today, now – a great change. »
Why does Lent last 40 days?
In the Bible, “40” is the number of expectation: Jesus lived 40 days in the desert after his baptism; the Jewish people wandered for 40 years in the desert before entering the Holy Land; Moses fasted 40 days before receiving the tablets of the Law; the Flood lasted 40 days, before Noah opened the window of the Ark… This duration clearly echoes these different biblical episodes. It is the time of trial and spiritual combat, just like the forty weeks necessary to give life to a child. But the main biblical reference is that of the temptation of Jesus in the desert (Mt 4). After fasting and praying for 40 days, Jesus sees the devil appear. The latter offers to relieve his hunger by transforming the stones into bread. Jesus refuses, because he longs for more spiritual food: the word of God.
The season of Lent is marked by fasting and penance. It is a long enough time to approach God, to be converted and to appeal to his mercy, his love. Thus, at the beginning of the 6th century, believing that one could not fast on Sunday, the day of Christ’s Resurrection, part of the previous week was added.
Since each Sunday is “the Passover of the week” as Benedict XVI said, Lent has since opened with Ash Wednesday and ended on Holy Thursday, thus extending over the 46 days before Easter. But it lasts 40 days since the six Sundays are not considered part of this period of contemplation.
What are the start and end dates of Lent?
This year, Lent begins on Wednesday February 18, 2026 with Ash Wednesday (the day after Shrove Tuesday). It ends on Thursday April 2, 2026, Maundy Thursday. This day commemorating the Lord’s Supper, the last meal of Jesus, thus corresponds to the beginning of the Easter triduum: the three days (Good Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday) during which the Church celebrates the passion, the death on the cross of Calvary and the resurrection of Jesus.
Holy Week begins on Sunday March 29, 2026 with Palm Sunday. During this highlight, Christians relive the last days of Jesus’ earthly life: his entry into Jerusalem, his last meal with the apostles, his passion and his death. It ends with the Easter Vigil, on the evening of Holy Saturday, Saturday April 4, 2026.
What are the practices associated with Lent?
Fasting is one of the most common practices of Lent. It consists of abstaining from certain foods, such as meat, eggs, dairy, fatty or sweet foods and alcohol. Some also choose to give up harmful habits or behaviors, in order to purify themselves spiritually, to be more chaste and thus draw closer to God. It is above all a path of spiritual commitment. This practice comes from the first centuries of Christianity. At the time, monks and nuns observed periods of prolonged fasting, before extending to the entire Christian community, although the modalities of fasting and practices varied between eras.
Although marked by fasting and abstinence, this liturgical time must nevertheless see prayer and meditation placed at the center of the spiritual path. Throughout Lent, readings can help meditate on the history of the Jewish people (origins, Moses, the prophets, etc.). As for the Gospels of each Sunday, they reveal the incarnation and manifestation of Christ.
Finally, Lent also allows us to experience sharing, almsgiving and charity in a special way: Christians make donations in particular to charitable associations or to the most disadvantaged. Good Friday is thus associated with the “Bol de riz” operation in schools and certain parishes. On this occasion, many believers eat a single bowl of rice and the difference between the price of a meal and the cost of this bowl is donated to a charity..
All these practices allow each Christian to prepare his heart, his soul and his mind to follow Christ during his journey of the cross and to receive his Light during his resurrection at Easter.
What to eat during Lent?
During Lent, the diet must be frugal and sober. Traditionally, we abstain from eating meat and favor fish or plant-based foods without consuming them excessively. So, for the evening meal, you can eat cereals and vegetables but also legumes rich in protein (lentils, chickpeas, beans, etc.), or even skip this meal without forgetting to hydrate throughout the day. The most important thing remains one’s own spiritual experience which requires all the energy and concentration of the faithful. If hunger strikes, enjoying some dried fruits (raisins, almonds, cashews, etc.) may be ideal. More and more Christians are turning to exclusively vegetarian fasting.
Jean-Christophe Normand, permanent deacon of the diocese of Nantes (France) and author of the book The day the world will fast (Ed. Salvator) explains that “Christ invites us to an interior, discreet and joyful fast. It is not a question of living it in a logic of struggle against oneself but as a reunion with the Father, in order to enter into a more fruitful and confident relationship with him. »
Are there differences between Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Lent?
Fasting is a practice shared by many religions, including the three major monotheistic religions which value fasting along with prayer and almsgiving. But during Lent, not all Christians fast in the same way. From the Renaissance, the Protestant schism, followed by the relative secularization of Western society and the relaxation of the instructions given to Christians made practices more diverse.
Among Catholics, fasting from food can now be replaced by deprivation of material dependence and more or less strict abstinence for 40 days has disappeared. Protestants do not recommend this practice, because they refuse the idea of penance, according to which they could draw closer to God by fasting.
As for the Orthodox, fasting is an important element in what is called Great Lent, running from “Pure Monday” (this year it will be Monday February 23, 2026) until Friday April 3, 2026. Its practice is supervised and the Orthodox faithful are invited to fast not of their own will but under the direction of a spiritual father.
