What is lent?

Question

I know it's about giving up somthing for 40 days, but what is the whole thing about?

Answer 1

I can only answer for Syrian Orthodox Christians.

Lent is a period of time when you don't eat any type of meat, fish or eggs, basically become a vegetarian. It occurs for 25 days before Christmas, 40 days before Easter, 40 days after a loved one dies, etc. Vegetarians have to give up something that they love.

It is about sacrifices and contemplation. In our church, the tradition is for everyone to collect the money they would have otherwise used for meat etc. and donate it a charity.

Answer 2

Lent is a time of penitence and fasting before Easter. Holy week is the last week of Lend leading up to Good Friday. During this week we remember on Maundy Thursday the Last Supper when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Then comes Good Friday, a fast day. And then Holy Saturday with the Easter Vigil that evening.

It is associated with the time that Jesus spent in the wilderness before his earthy ministry began.

All Liturgically based churches observe Lent, not just the RC's. Anglicans do. And in the East the Orthodox do, but often their date for Easter is different, so Great Lent starts on a different day than in the West.

Answer 3

Lent is the period (or season) from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday(40 days) where people give up something they enjoy, and often give the time or money spent doing that thing to charitable purposes or organisations. Roman Catholic interpretation - I am not sure about other religions.

Answer 4

Lent was originally celebrated in spring, as the word Lent is derived from an Old English word for spring. After the death of Nimrod his wife claimed that he had been reborn as Tammuz. Eventually Tammuz died, but this time he was supposedly resurrected. The feast of Tammuz was held in honor of his resurrection, and was originally celebrated in June. For forty days preceding this celebration there would be weeping in honor of the anniversary of Tammuz's resurrection. Fasting was joined with weeping for forty days prior to the festival. Lent, then, is believed to be the continuation of this custom. During the forty days certain foods were abstained from.

True Christians do not celebrate Lent or any other pagan observance.

Answer 5

It is something we should all do at one point or another.

Give up a thing that is important to us for the sake of gaining communion with our Lord.

Unfortunatly - Canon law has legislated it and as a result has provided us one more reason to feel lousy about ourselves when we are unable to observe it.

A fast is supposed to be a personal experience which we dedicate for Gods sake - not something that our leaders tell us to do.

A time frame ordained by man is ridiculous where Fasting is concerened

Personal Relationship with our Father
Not kissing up to our priest by showing enforced piety... again - ridiculous.

Good grief - I'm on a "rant roll" (Apologies all - though the words are true :-) )

Answer 6

Idk about other religions, but i am catholic and for 40 days we give up our favorite thing as a sacrifice. it ends a easter i think, honestly i think its just learning to give up something for the Lord and showing that you are strong enough to handle it. i hope this answers your question! you also dont eat meat on fridays, except for fish, because thats how our ancestors did it.

Answer 7

Lent is what catholics do, I think it is more traditional
than anything else, some may have senserity, not many, it is more less a form

Answer 8

Sacrifice

Answer 9

It's a period of repentence and spiritual purification to prepare ourselves for the celebration of the greatest feastday in Christianity, Easter.

Answer 10

It was originally a fast without meat being eaten or other good things.

Now nobody much does that but I think it was a good thing to give up something you love for your faith