Lent Across Christian Denominations
Catholic Lenten observance centres on abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent, with fish as the traditional substitute — a practice that drives significant commercial fish sales each year. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are also days of fasting (one full meal plus two smaller meals). Anglican and Lutheran churches observe Lent similarly, though the specifics of fasting are often left to individual conscience. Many evangelical Protestant denominations do not observe Lent formally at all.
Eastern Orthodox Christians follow a considerably stricter fasting calendar. The Orthodox Great Lent begins on Clean Monday (not Ash Wednesday) and the fast prohibits not only meat but also dairy, eggs, fish, olive oil, and wine on certain days — essentially a vegan diet for extended periods. Orthodox Lent also starts and ends on different dates because most Orthodox churches calculate Easter using the Julian rather than the Gregorian calendar, meaning Orthodox Easter can fall one to five weeks after Western Easter.
Lent is a 40-day period of fasting and penitence observed by Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and many other Christian denominations in the weeks leading up to Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday. Because Easter is a moveable feast, the start and end dates of Lent change every year. In 2026, Lent begins on February 18th and ends on April 4th.
Origins and History
The practice of a pre-Easter fast has roots in the early Christian church, though its length and character varied considerably across different regions for the first several centuries. The 40-day duration was eventually standardized, drawing symbolism from several biblical accounts of 40-day periods: Moses's 40 days on Mount Sinai, Elijah's 40-day journey to Horeb, and most directly, Jesus's 40 days of fasting and temptation in the wilderness before beginning his public ministry. The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD referenced a 40-day fast, and by the seventh century, Lent in its roughly current form was widely observed across Western Christianity.
Ash Wednesday, which marks the opening of Lent, takes its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful in the sign of a cross. The ashes, traditionally made from the burned palm fronds of the previous year's Palm Sunday, serve as a sign of mortality and repentance. The accompanying words — "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" — echo the Book of Genesis. The day before Ash Wednesday is known as Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday"), or Pancake Day in various cultures, reflecting the tradition of consuming rich, indulgent foods before the austerity of Lent begins.
How It Is Observed
Lenten observance varies widely by denomination and individual. The traditional disciplines of Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Many Christians give up a particular food, habit, or pleasure for the 40 days — common choices include meat, alcohol, sweets, or social media. Catholics are traditionally required to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent, which has made fish dishes a cultural staple of the season. Some Christians choose to take something on rather than give something up, such as adding a daily devotional practice or volunteering. The season concludes with Holy Week — Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday — the most solemn period in the Christian liturgical calendar.
For more information, see Lent on Wikipedia
