Catholic
Character
A spiritual resource for Catholics
Lent
Lent is a significant season in the Catholic Church, lasting 40 days (not counting Sundays. Read More), leading up to Easter Sunday. It is a time of reflection, prayer, and penance, during which Catholics are encouraged to deepen their faith through fasting, almsgiving, and acts of charity. Traditionally, many choose to give up certain luxuries or vices as a form of sacrifice. The season begins on Ash Wednesday and culminates in the celebration of Jesus' resurrection at Easter.
Lent is 40 days, not including Sundays. Those six Sundays are not actually included at all in Lent because Sunday is the day of the joy and celeberation, because it is the day of the Resurrection. Thus, there are 46 days in between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, but only 40 days in Lent.