Orthodox Lent
Monday, February 23, 2026
Orthodox Lent, also known as Great Lent in the Eastern Orthodox Church, is a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and spiritual preparation leading up to Orthodox Easter (Pascha). Great Lent is the most significant fasting period in the Orthodox Christian calendar and is more rigorous than Lent in Western Christianity. It begins on Clean Monday, seven weeks before Pascha, and concludes on Lazarus Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday. The 40 days commemorate the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness after his baptism, during which he was tempted by Satan. Orthodox Lent emphasizes not merely abstaining from certain foods but also cultivating spiritual disciplines including increased prayer, almsgiving, confession, and reconciliation with others. The fast involves abstaining from meat, dairy, eggs, fish, oil, and wine on most days, though the strictness varies by tradition. Unlike Western Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, Orthodox Lent starts on Clean Monday, and Sundays during Lent are not counted in the 40 days.
History
The practice of a pre-Paschal fast dates to the early Christian church. The 4th-century bishop Saint Athanasius of Alexandria mentioned a 40-day fast in his Festal Letters, instructing the faithful on the period of preparation before Easter. The Council of Nicaea in 325 discussed the Lenten fast but did not establish uniform practices. Over subsequent centuries, the Eastern and Western churches developed different traditions. In the Orthodox tradition, Great Lent was formalized through the writings of the Church Fathers, particularly Saint John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) and Saint Basil the Great (c. 329-379), whose liturgies are used during the season. The Lenten Triodion, a liturgical book containing the services for Great Lent, was compiled between the 9th and 14th centuries and contains hymns and prayers central to the season. The fast has remained remarkably consistent in Orthodox practice since the Byzantine era, preserving ancient fasting disciplines that predate the East-West Schism of 1054.
How It's Celebrated
Great Lent begins with Clean Monday, marked by special church services and a strict fast. Throughout the 40 days, Orthodox Christians attend additional liturgical services, particularly the Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesdays and Fridays. Many believers increase their prayer rule, read scripture more diligently, and give alms. The Sacrament of Confession is more commonly practiced during Lent. Special services include the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos on Fridays and the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete, which is chanted in parts during the first and fifth weeks. In homes, families prepare Lenten meals that exclude animal products, often featuring vegetables, grains, legumes, and seafood. The faithful are encouraged to reduce entertainment and social activities to focus on spiritual growth.