Lent

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Lent (from the Old English lencten, meaning "spring" or "lengthening [of days]") is a penitential season in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church that prepares the faithful for the celebration of Easter, the solemnity of Christ's Resurrection. It is a time of conversion, penance, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, during which the Church accompanies catechumens preparing for Baptism and all the faithful in renewing their baptismal promises.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends either at sunset on Holy Thursday (before the Mass of the Lord's Supper) or, according to some interpretations of the liturgical norms, at the beginning of the Easter Triduum. It lasts forty days (excluding Sundays), recalling the forty days Jesus spent fasting in the desert (Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13).

Lent calls the faithful to interior conversion and union with the suffering Christ, so that they may rise with Him to new life at Easter. For the current liturgical calendar, specific dates, and any local adaptations (e.g., dispensations), consult the annual Ordo or your diocesan liturgical office.

Canonical and theological basis

The structure and character of Lent are defined in the Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar (1969), promulgated after the Second Vatican Council. These norms describe Lent as "a preparation for the celebration of Easter" and "the time when the catechumens are initiated into the Christian life" while the faithful "more intently listen to the word of God and more generously devote themselves to works of charity."[1]

The season is rooted in the ancient practice of preparation for Easter Baptism and the forty-day fast of Christ in the wilderness. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that Lent "makes present this mystery [of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection] in a special way" and invites the faithful to "unite themselves to the mystery of Christ in the desert."[2]

Unlike Advent, which combines joyful expectation with preparation, Lent is more strictly penitential in character. The Gloria is omitted from Masses throughout Lent (except on solemnities), and the Alleluia is suppressed until the Easter Vigil.

History

The forty-day fast before Easter is attested as early as the 2nd century (e.g., St. Irenaeus of Lyons). By the 4th century, a more structured Lent of forty days (excluding Sundays) emerged in the East and West, often linked to the final preparation of catechumens for Baptism at the Easter Vigil.

In the West, Ash Wednesday (with the imposition of ashes) became the customary beginning by the 6th–7th centuries. The Gelasian Sacramentary and other early liturgical books provide texts for the season. The practice of fasting and abstinence developed over time, with the Church gradually establishing norms (e.g., one full meal per day, abstinence from meat on Fridays).

The Second Vatican Council preserved the penitential character of Lent while emphasizing its baptismal and paschal orientation, encouraging a renewed focus on conversion of heart rather than merely external observances.

Liturgical color and practices

The liturgical color for Lent is violet (purple), symbolizing penance, humility, and preparation for the joy of Easter. Rose vestments may be used on the Fourth Sunday of Lent (**Laetare Sunday**, from the Latin "Rejoice"), to express joy at the approach of Easter.

Key liturgical practices include:

  • Imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday with the words: "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" or "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" (cf. Genesis 3:19).
  • The suppression of the Alleluia and Gloria in ordinary Masses.
  • The option for the chanting of the Passion narrative on the Fifth Sunday of Lent (Passion Sunday) and Palm Sunday.
  • Increased emphasis on the Scrutinies for the elect (those preparing for Baptism).

Sundays of Lent

The six Sundays of Lent (in the post-Vatican II lectionary, Years A, B, or C) have distinct themes, often drawing from the Gospel readings:

  • First Sunday: The Temptation of Jesus in the desert.
  • Second Sunday: The Transfiguration of the Lord.
  • Third Sunday: (Year A: Woman at the Well; Year B: Cleansing of the Temple; Year C: Fig Tree)
  • Fourth Sunday (Laetare Sunday): (Year A: Man Born Blind; Year B: Bronze Serpent; Year C: Prodigal Son)
  • Fifth Sunday: (Year A: Raising of Lazarus; Year B: Grain of Wheat; Year C: Woman Caught in Adultery)
  • Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord: Entry into Jerusalem and the Passion narrative.

Popular traditions and observances

Catholics are encouraged to undertake voluntary penances in addition to the required fasting and abstinence:

  • On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, adults aged 18–59 are bound to fast (one full meal and two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal).
  • On Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent, those aged 14 and older are bound to abstain from meat (or perform another penance as determined by local bishops' conferences).

Common devotional practices include:

  • The Stations of the Cross (especially on Fridays).
  • Increased prayer, reading of Scripture, and participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
  • Almsgiving and works of mercy.
  • "Giving up" something pleasurable (e.g., sweets, social media) or "taking up" a positive practice (e.g., daily Rosary).

See also

References

  1. ↑ Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, no. 22, 27.
  2. ↑ Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 540, 1438.
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