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| Author Chopanito 2010 | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Holy_Week_procession_in_Granada,_Nicaragua.jpg | |
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The
English word
Lent is a shortened form of
Old English len(c)ten, which meant 'spring', as its cognates in the
Germanic languages still do today: German
Lenz and
Dutch lente.) According to the
Oxford English Dictionary, 'the shorter form (? Old Germanic type *
laŋgito- , *
laŋgiton-) seems to be a derivative of *
laŋgo- long ... and may possibly have reference to the lengthening of the days as characterizing the season of spring'. The origin of the -
en element is less clear: it might simply be a
suffix, or
lencten might originally have been a compound of *
laŋgo- 'long' and an otherwise little attested word *-
tino, meaning 'day'.
[10]
In languages spoken where Christianity was earlier established,
Greek and
Latin, the term used refers to its dating from the fortieth day before Easter. In modern Greek the term is Σαρακοστή, derived from earlier Τεσσαρακοστή, meaning "fortieth". The corresponding word in Latin
quadragesima ("fortieth") is the origin of the term used in Latin-derived languages and in some others: for example, Spanish
cuaresma,
Portuguese quaresma, French
carême, Italian
quaresima,
Romanian păresimi,
Croatian korizma,
Irish Carghas, and
Welsh C(a)rawys).
In other languages the name used refers to the activity associated with the season. Thus it is called "fasting period" in
German (
Fastenzeit),
Norwegian (
fasten/
fastetid), and
Czech (
postní doba); and it is called "great fast" in
Russian (великий пост –
vyeliki post) and
Polish (
wielki post).
Duration[edit]
Various Christian
denominations calculate the forty days of Lent differently.
In the
Roman Rite, the definition of Lent varies according to different documents. While the official document on the Lenten season,
Paschales Solemnitatis, says that "the first Sunday of Lent marks the beginning of the annual Lenten observance",
[11] the
Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar says, "The forty days of Lent run from Ash Wednesday up to but excluding the Mass of the Lord's Supper exclusive."
[12] The first source represents a period of 40 days and the second a period of 44 days, because both sources agree that the end of Lent comes the evening of Holy Thursday, before the Mass of the Lord's Supper.
[13] Though some sources try to reconcile this with the phrase "forty days" by excluding Sundays and extending Lent through Holy Saturday
[14][15] no official documents support this interpretation.
In the
Ambrosian Rite, Lent begins on the Sunday that follows what is celebrated as Ash Wednesday in the rest of the
Latin Catholic Church, and ends as in the Roman Rite, thus being of 40 days, counting the Sundays but not
Holy Thursday. The day for beginning the Lenten fast is the following Monday, the first weekday in Lent. The special Ash Wednesday fast is transferred to the first Friday of the Ambrosian Lent. Until this rite was revised by Saint
Charles Borromeo the liturgy of the First Sunday of Lent was festive, celebrated in white vestments with chanting of the
Gloria in Excelsis and
Alleluia, in line with the recommendation in
Matthew 6:16, "When you fast, do not look gloomy".
[16][17][18]
The period of Lent observed in the
Eastern Catholic Churches corresponds to that in other churches of
Eastern Christianity that have similar traditions.
In those churches which follow the
Rite of Constantinople, i.e., the
Eastern Orthodox and the
Byzantine Rite Eastern Catholics (not all Eastern Catholics), the forty days of Lent and of fasting, which include Sundays, begin not on Ash Wednesday, but on
Clean Monday. Lent then ends on the fortieth day from that date, which is the Friday before Palm Sunday. The days of
Lazarus Saturday,
Palm Sunday and
Holy Week are considered a distinct period of fasting. For more detailed information about this practice of Lent, see the article
Great Lent.
In addition, determination of the date of Easter in the East is not based on the
Gregorian calculations (see
Computus). In most years this results in a difference of some weeks, which can be as many as five.
Among the
Oriental Orthodox, there are various local traditions regarding Lent. The
Coptic,
Ethiopian and
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches observe eight weeks of Lent, which, with both Saturdays and Sunday mornings exempt, has forty days of fasting.
[17] Fast generally implies one meal a day to be taken either in the evening or after 2.45 p.m. with total abstention from meat, fats, eggs and dairy products. Instead they use cereals, vegetables and other type of food devoid of fats. Smoking is a breach of the fast, which runs for a total of 56 days.
[19]
Others attribute these seven days to the fast of
Holofernes who asked the Syrian Christians to fast for him after they requested his assistance to repel the invading pagan Persians.
Joyous Saturday and the week preceding it are counted separately from the forty-day fast in accordance with the
Apostolic Constitutions giving an extra eight days.
One calculation has been that the season of Lent last from
Ash Wednesday to
Holy Saturday.
[20][21] This calculation makes Lent last 46 days, if the 6 Sundays are included, but only 40, if they are excluded,
[22] because there is no obligation to fast on the six Sundays in Lent.
[20][21] This definition is still that of the
Anglican Church,
[23] Lutheran Church,
[24] Methodist Church,
[25] and
Western Rite Orthodox Church.
[26]
Other related fasting periods[edit]
The season of Lent begins on
Ash Wednesday, most notably by the public imposition of ashes. A Christian clergyman imposes ashes on a member of the
United States Navy.
The number forty has many Biblical references: the forty days
Moses spent on
Mount Sinai with
God (
Exodus 24:18); the forty days and nights
Elijah spent walking to
Mount Horeb (
1 Kings 19:8); the forty days and nights God sent rain in the great flood of
Noah (
Genesis 7:4); the forty years the Hebrew people wandered in the desert while traveling to the
Promised Land (
Numbers 14:33); the forty days
Jonah gave in his prophecy of
judgment to the city of
Nineveh in which to repent or be destroyed (
Jonah 3:4).
Jesus retreated into the wilderness, where He fasted for forty days, and was tempted by the
devil (
Matthew 4:1–2,
Mark 1:12–13,
Luke 4:1–2). He overcame all three of Satan's
temptations by citing scripture to the devil, at which point the devil left him, angels ministered to Jesus, and He began His
ministry. Jesus further said that His disciples should fast "when the bridegroom shall be taken from them" (
Matthew 9:15), a reference to his Passion. Since, presumably, the Apostles fasted as they mourned the death of Jesus, Christians have traditionally fasted during the annual commemoration of his burial.
It is the traditional belief that Jesus lay for forty hours in the tomb
[17] which led to the forty hours of total fast that preceded the Easter celebration in the
early Church[27] (the biblical reference to 'three days in the tomb' is understood by them as
spanning three days, from Friday afternoon to early Sunday morning, rather than three 24-hour periods of time). Some Christian denominations, such as The Way International and Logos Apostolic Church of God,
[28] as well as
Anglican scholar
E. W. Bullinger in
The Companion Bible, believe Christ was in the grave for a total of 72 hours, reflecting the
type of Jonah in the belly of the whale.
[29]
One of the most important ceremonies at Easter is the
baptism of the initiates on Easter Eve. The fast was initially undertaken by the
catechumens to prepare them for the reception of this
sacrament. Later, the period of fasting from
Good Friday until Easter Day was extended to six days, to correspond with the six weeks of training, necessary to give the final instruction to those
converts who were to be baptized.
Converts to Catholicism followed a strict
catechumenate or period of instruction and discipline prior to baptism. In
Jerusalem near the close of the fourth century, classes were held throughout Lent for three hours each day. With the legalization of Christianity (by the
Edict of Milan) and its later imposition as the
state religion of the
Roman Empire, its character was endangered by the great influx of new members. In response, the Lenten fast and practices of
self-renunciation were required annually of all Christians, both to show solidarity with the catechumens, and for their own spiritual benefit.
Associated customs
There are traditionally forty days in Lent which are marked by fasting, both from foods and festivities, and by other acts of
penance. The three traditional practices to be taken up with renewed vigour during Lent are
prayer (
justice towards God), fasting (justice towards self), and
almsgiving (justice towards neighbour).
However, in modern times, observers give up an action of theirs considered to be a vice, add something that is considered to be able to bring them closer to God, and often give the time or money spent doing that to
charitable purposes or organizations.
[30]
In addition, some believers add a regular spiritual discipline, such as reading a Lenten
daily devotional.
[6] Another practice commonly added is the singing of
Stabat Mater hymn in designated groups. Among Filipino Catholics, the recitation of Jesus Christ' passion called
Pasiong Mahal is also observed. In some Christian countries, grand religious processions and cultural customs are observed, and the faithful attempt to
visit seven churches during Holy Week in honor of Jesus Christ heading to
Mount Calvary.
In many
liturgical Christian denominations,
Good Friday,
Holy Saturday and
Easter Sunday form the
Easter Triduum.
[31] Lent is a season of grief that necessarily ends with a great celebration of Easter. It is known in
Eastern Orthodox circles as the season of "Bright Sadness." It is a season of sorrowful
reflection which is punctuated by breaks in the fast on Sundays.
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent
