Lent Confusion and Stuff?

Question

Just curious, what is lent? What is its purpose? And what religion is it from..or for...?
Just wondering.
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Lent is part of the liturgical christian year. It is the 40 days before Easter (but it does not include Sundays). Sundays are seen as "little easters" Lent is a time of fasting, where Sunday is a day of celebration and feasting. It started with the Catholic Church, but it is practiced also by any liturgical church (i.e. Catholic, Presbyterian USA, United Methodist, United Church of Christ, Lutheran, and Anglican/Episcopalian). Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism. Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or volunteering and giving of themselves for others. The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan. It starts tomorrow on Ash Wednesday with a service of confession.

Lent is a time that is very important to me, and it is highly spiritual. The purpose is to prepare yourself for Easter. It isn't something that everyone does, but I get a great deal out of it.

Now if you want to know the full liturgical year and what all that means, email me. It takes more to explain!

Amanda

Answer 2

Lent is a period of fasting from certain food and spiritual preparation for the Great feast of Holy Pascha (or Easter as they call it in the West). The purpose of lent is not only to purify our bodies, but to cleanse our minds of passions that we usually satisfy through gluttony (overeating), drunkenness, sensuality, greed, vanity, envy and pride. During Lent we humble ourselves, pray more and do works of mercy (for example give money that we save on food to the poor).

The Great Lent is a Christian thing. Today it is observed fully only within the Orthodox Churches. Other Christian churches (including the Roman Catholic) have relaxed the rules and don't require the same intensity as was common in the past.

If you would like to read more about this go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lent

Have a Great Lent!

Answer 3

Lent is the 40 day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter (omitting Sundays). It is a time of penance and preparation for the Resurrection of our Lord. Many Christian faiths choose to "give" something during this period. Some give [up] chocolate or tv, others give their time (as in going to church more or spend time in prayer).

Answer 4

The Catholic Church and many other Christians Churches follow the Biblical practice of Jesus Christ and the Jews in setting aside days where the entire Church fasts and prays as one in a attitude of constant renewal.

By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert and in spiritual preparation for the celebration of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

This season of penance is an intense moments of the Church's penitential practice and are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and charitable and missionary works.

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

It symbolizes the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert praying and being tempted by the devil. After that he was crucified, died & was buried. Then the arose on Easter morning.

Answer 6

lol that`s what i`ve asked earlier...this is the link to the ques: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArgCOYw84ZikLVsxJ86HkV7sy6IX?qid=20070220171853AAJxSTo you can find some answers there