Lent is a solemn and sacred season in the Roman Catholic Church, a time of spiritual renewal and penance in preparation for the celebration of Easter, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Spanning 40 days (excluding Sundays), it mirrors Christβs 40 days of fasting and temptation in the wilderness, calling the faithful to repentance, prayer, and conversion of heart.
Time of Year
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which falls in February or early March, depending on the date of Easter Sunday. Easter is calculated as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox (the Paschal full moon), so Lentβs start varies annuallyβtypically between early February and mid-March. In 2025, Ash Wednesday is February 5, marking the beginning of Lent, which then extends until Holy Thursday, March 20, the evening before Good Friday. The season lasts 40 days (not counting Sundays), culminating in the Sacred Paschal Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday), which leads into Easter Sunday on March 23.
Observance
Lent is a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance, rooted in Jesusβ 40 days of fasting in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11), where he resisted Satanβs temptations. In the Roman Catholic Church, it is a time for the faithful to prepare for Easter by imitating Christβs sacrifice and deepening their relationship with God. The season is marked by three traditional practices:
Fasting: Catholics aged 18 to 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, limiting themselves to one full meal and two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal. Abstinence from meat is required on these days and all Fridays of Lent for those 14 and older, symbolizing penance and solidarity with Christβs suffering.
Prayer: Increased devotion, such as attending Mass, praying the Stations of the Cross, or reciting the Rosary, helps the faithful reflect on Christβs Passion and their own spiritual lives.
Almsgiving (Penance): Acts of charity and penance, like giving to the poor or seeking reconciliation through the Sacrament of Confession, express sorrow for sin and love for neighbor.
Sundays in Lent, while part of the season, are not days of fasting, as they remain celebrations of Christβs Resurrection. The 40-day count reflects the biblical significance of purification and testing (e.g., Noahβs 40 days of rain, Mosesβ 40 days on Sinai). Lent begins with the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesdayβmarked with the words βRepent, and believe in the Gospelβ or βRemember that you are dust, and to dust you shall returnββand ends with the Mass of the Lordβs Supper on Holy Thursday, ushering in the Triduum.
Symbolic Color
In the Roman Catholic liturgy, colors convey the spiritual tone of each season, as outlined in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.
Purple: The Color of Lent
The primary liturgical color of Lent is purple (sometimes called Roman purple), a deep, subdued hue symbolizing penance, mourning, and preparation. Worn by priests in vestments and used in church decorations, purple reflects the seasonβs focus on repentance for sin and the somber anticipation of Christβs Passion. It connects to the penitential spirit of Lent, recalling Jesusβ time of trial in the wilderness and the Churchβs call to self-denial. Purple is used from Ash Wednesday through most of Lent, including the Fifth Sunday, known as Passion Sunday in some traditions, when the tone shifts toward the events of Holy Week.
Rose: A Sign of Joy on Laetare Sunday
On the Fourth Sunday of Lent, called Laetare Sunday, the liturgical color changes to rose. This softer shade, a mix of purple and white, signifies a moment of joy amid Lentβs austerity. βLaetareβ means βrejoiceβ in Latin, drawn from the entrance antiphon (Isaiah 66:10-11), and this Sunday offers a glimpse of Easterβs hope, halfway through the penitential season. Rose vestments are optionalβpurple may still be usedβbut when worn, they symbolize the lightening of penance as the Resurrection draws near. This tradition mirrors Gaudete Sunday in Advent, another rose-colored pause in a penitential season.
Catholic Traditions and Significance
Lent is a time of obligation and devotion in the Catholic Church. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting and abstinence, while all Fridays of Lent require abstinence from meat, rooted in the Churchβs discipline (Canon 1251). Popular practices include attending Stations of the Cross, reflecting on Christβs journey to Calvary, and participating in Lenten missions or retreats. The season also encourages the faithful to βgive upβ something (e.g., sweets or habits) as a personal sacrifice and to βtake upβ acts of charity or prayer.
Theologically, Lent prepares Catholics for the Paschal Mysteryβthe Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christβthrough the renewal of baptismal promises at the Easter Vigil. It is a season of metanoia (conversion), aligning the faithful with Godβs mercy and grace.
Lent in the Roman Catholic Church is a 40-day journey of fasting, prayer, and penance, beginning in February or March and leading to the triumph of Easter. Clothed in purple, with a rose respite on Laetare Sunday, it echoes Jesusβ wilderness fast and calls the faithful to repentance and readiness for the Resurrection. Through its disciplines and devotions, Lent remains a cornerstone of Catholic life, a season of sacrifice illumined by the promise of redemption.
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