The Beginning of Lent

Lent is a religious season observed in the spring by christian churches. It serves as a time of spiritual discipline and renewal in preparation for Easter. Many churches hold special worship services during the season. Besides attending these services, Christians observe Lent with fasting, prayer, and self-sacrifice. Some Christians do charity work. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday in many churches. In the Easter Catholic and Easter Orthodox Churches, Lent begins on a Monday, which is sometimes called Pure Monday or Clean Monday. The Lenten season lasts approximately 40 days, excluding Sundays in Western churches, excluding Saturday and Sunday in Eastern churches. The number 40 recalls Jesus' 40-day fast in the wilderness, as described in the Gospels. Most churches reserve special observance of Jesus' Passion ( suffering and death ) for the last week of Lent, called Holy Week.
The word Lent comes from words meaning spring and long and probably refers to the lenthening of days as spring approaches. Lent Probably grew out of the early Christian church's practice of baptizing people at the Easter Vigil, a service held on the eve of Easter. During the Vigil, the church also accepted repentant Christians back into the faith. In the weeks before Easter, candidates for baptism fasted and received religious instruction. By the A.D. 900's, Lent had become a time of penance and preparation for Easter for all Christians.

Shrove Tuesday, is the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Its name comes from the custom of making confession of sin and receiving forgiveness ( being shriven ) on the day. Shrove Tuesday is a time of celebrating in many countries. It corresponds with Fastnacht in Germany and Mardi Gras in France and the Southern United States. The English celebrate Shrove Tuesday as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day. They traditionally cook and eat flat, thin pancakes on that day.

Ash Wednesday is the first the day of Lent. The day marks the beginning of season of dicipline and penitence that continues through the Lenten season. The day is observed by Western Christian churches, especially by Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches. In many churches, the observance of Ash Wednesday centers on ashes from burned palms used in the previous year's Palm Sunday procession. A priest or pastor blesses the ashes and uses them to marks a cross on the forheads of worshipers. This blessing is based on the Biblical passage,"... for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return," ( Gen. 3:19). Ashes also serve as a symbol of purification and penitence.

Holy Week is the final week of Lent.

Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter and marks the beginning of Holy Week in the Christian calendar. Palm Sunday worship recalls when people spread palms and clothing in front of Jesus as He entered Jerusalem. This happened several days before He was crusified. Palm Sunday marks a turn in Christian churches observance of Lent from a time of discipline and sorrow for one's sins to one of looking ahead to the Passion ( suffering and death ) of Jesus and His Resurrection.
By the late 300's Christians in Jerusalem were celebrating Palm Sunday on the first day of Holy Week. It was part of trend there to remember the last events of Jesus' life by holding services at sacred sites in the city. Today, Christians in many traditions observe the day with blessing and distribution of palms. Usually, the ceremony includes a procession.

Maundy Thursday, also called Holy Thursday, recalls Jesus' last meal and His arrest and imprisonment. Many Protestant churches hold Communion services on this day. During Maundy Thursday Mass, Roman Catholic priest often wash the feet of 12 church members or poor people in remembrance of how Jesus washed the feet of His 12 disciples at the time of the final meal. A priest takes the Host ( the wafer of bread regarded as Jesus' body ) from the main altar to a shrine on the side. The shrine symbolizes the place where Jesus' was held prisoner after His arrest. All decorations are removed from the main altar as a symbol of the stripping of Jesus' garments before the Crucifixion.

Good Friday observes the death of Jesus on the cross. Most churches hold mourning services. Some of these services last from noon until 3 p.m. to symbolize the last three hours of darkness while Jesus suffered on the cross. The Eastern Orthodox Churches follow mourning services with ceremonies recalling how Jesus was taken down fron the cross and placed inside a tomb. In numerous Spanish- speaking countries, Christians hold processions in which people carry statues of dying Jesus and His mother, Mary. Many Christians eat little or no food on Good Friday.

Holy Saturday is chiefly a day of solemn vigil ( watch ). The major activity of the day comes at nightfall as observance of the Ressurection approaches. Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches hold vigil services that often include the baptism of new members. The vigil service leads up to a dramatic moments. The lights in each church are put out, leaving everyone in darkness. Then, the priest lights one tall candle, representing the risen Jesus. The flame from this candle is used to light other candles held by worshipers, which symbolizes the spreading of Jesus' light throughout the world. In Eastern Orthodox Churches, the ceremony is timed so that the priest lights his candle exactly at midnight. After all candles have been lit, the service becomes an Easter celebration, with joyous music and the reading ofthe Easter story from the Bible. Traditionally, newly converted Christian were baptized on this day, after having received religious instruction during Lent.

Easter Sunday celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches hold saturday evening services, but most Protestant churches wait until Sunday morning to hold their main Easter services. Many churches and communities, particularly in the United States, have additional outdoor Easter services at sunrise. At that time, the light of the rising sun recalls the light that comes back to the world with the newly risen Jesus. Catholic and Orthodox churches also hold additional services on Easter Sunday, especially for those who missed the long services of the preceding night. For many Christians, Easter Sunday is set aside for feasting and celebration.

The end of the Easter season. During the 40-day period beginning with Easter Sunday, Christian celebrate the time when Jesus reappeared to some of His followers. THis period ends on Ascension Day, or Ascension Thursday. On this day, The story of Jesus' rise to heaven is read in churches. In Catholic churches, the Easter paschal candle is put out on Ascension Day. The Easter season concludes 10 days later with the feast of Pentecost, when the apostles reported that the Holy Spirit had entered into them. Christian believe that the church began at that time.