In Christian tradition, Lent is the part of the liturgical (Christian) year leading up to Easter. Lent is a preparation of the believer for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. This commemoration recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and eventually comes together in the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, known as Easter. This preparation comprises of prayer, penitence, almsgiving, and self-denial.

The duration of Lent is conventionally seen to be forty days, though the timing of the forty days are calculated differently by different denominations of Christianity. The forty days represent the time that, as written in the Bible, Jesus spent in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry. Whilst in the desert, Jesus endured several temptations from Satan, but refused them all, and was finally provided nourishment from angels as his reward once the forty days and nights were up.

In Western Catholicism, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes at the Ninth Hour of Holy Thursday or on Holy Saturday. This makes the duration of Lent either 44 or 46 days. This is because the six Sundays that occur during Lent are not counted. Instead, they are days of celebration, representing a ‘mini-Easter’, to commemorate Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

The practice of Lent was virtually universal in Christendom until the Protestant Reformation. Some Protestant churches do not observe Lent, but many do, such as Lutherans, Methodists, and Anglicans.

The name ‘Lent’ was also traditionally used to describe the period leading up to Christmas. The term Advent has since been officially recognised for this period.

Popularity: unranked [?]