Lent started on March 6 this year and many Catholics celebrate it. Although it is mostly known as something Catholics do, surprisingly, other Christian branches celebrate Lent too.

Lent is actually a six week or 40 days preparation period before Easter. It’s a season where Christians do a period of fasting, repentance, moderation, self-denial, and spiritual discipline. The reason why this is done is to have time to reflect on Jesus’s death, suffering, burial, and resurrection. In the time of Lent, people tend to fast or give up something important to them. For example, people give up their phones, quit smoking, or stop watching tv. Some Christians discipline themselves further by reading the Bible and spending time with God and prayer to develop a closer relationship with him. Sarah Lemos (9) says, “It’s a great time to celebrate Jesus Christ and what he did for us on the cross. It shows that he truly loves us.”

The reason why Lent is for 40 days is because it is based on spiritual testing in the Bible. The 40 days may represent 40 years the Israelites spent wandering in the desert after being freed from slavery in Egypt. Another one is the temptation of Jesus as he spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness.

Early Christians believed it was necessary to prepare themselves for the preparation of Easter. The first records or mentions of it being a 40 day period of fasting is found all the way back in AD 325. People believe that this tradition was derived from an early church practice of baptismal candidates going under a 40 day period of fasting to be prepared for their baptizing on Easter. It then spread as a spiritual devotion for the whole entire church. As Lent evolved, it did get really strict and harsh, but eventually, Lent is a much more relaxed practice today than back in Europe as it was a very strict and important practice.

In Western Christianity, Christians start it on Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is when people attend Mass and a minister will distribute ashes and they rub a cross on the person’s forehead. This is to show the identity of their faith to Jesus Christ. Also in the Bible, ashes are a symbol of repentance or death. In other words, Ash Wednesday is when followers repent from sin and Jesus’s death to set people free from sin and death.

In Eastern Christianity, it is similar as it is also a 40 day period of self-examination and fasting. It starts on Clean Monday and it culminates on Lazarus Saturday. Clean Monday refers to cleansing from sinful attitudes through Lent. Lazarus Saturday occurs 8 days before Easter and it signifies the end of the Great Lent.

Not all Christian branches do Lent, but the branches that usually do it are Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox churches. Lent is not really written in the Bible, however, the practice of repentance and abstinence are mentioned in the Bible. Also, do not assume that these mentioned branches of Christianity all do it, as there are many people who belong to these branches of Christianity, but they do not do it.