Lent season starts with a moveable fast occurring annually. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of a 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting meant to symbolically correspond with the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, fasting and fighting temptation by Satan. Three important pillars of Lent help us open our hearts to God and others: a call for deeper prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
We have to give up—by fasting and abstaining practices—but also called to give ourselves to others entering in solidarity with those suffering in the world.
Lent is an old English word meaning lengthened. The number 40 has much more significance in Jewish-Christian scripture. Different countries celebrate their Lent season differently but despite all the differences, they all commemorate the life and passion of Christ. In some countries, it is customary to fast intensively during Lent, while in some not eating meat on Friday is followed. In addition to avoiding meat, they also abstain from dairy, egg, fish, olive oil, and alcohol during the Lent season.
United States
The first day of Lent is the period of 40 days before Easter in which many Christians sacrifice ordinary pleasures. Americans give up chocolate or alcohol while dumping guilty pleasures and bad habits. They fast from their favorite food or beverage and go to church for deepening their spirituality. They also practice praying, giving, and going to church more—to practice their faith.
England
In the UK some Brits give up bad habits like smoking and drinking. They use this season as an opportunity to have healthy food. They put the cross on their forehead on Ash Wednesday. The previous day of Ash Wednesday they have Shrove Tuesday AKA ‘Pancake Day’ when they eat thin pancakes. They also have one Lenten custom where they eat hot cross buns to symbolize the cross.
(Tomorrow: Denmark and Poland)