The main purpose of Lent is to prepare believers through prayer, fasting, repentance of sins, alms giving, atonement and self-denial. This event, along with its customs is mostly observed by Christians in the Anglican, Calvinist, Lutheran, Methodist, and Roman Catholic traditions.
Here are 10 things you need to know about the Lenten season:
1. Lent lasts for forty days, in commemoration of the forty days which, Jesus spent fasting in the desert, before beginning his public ministry.
2. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent with the distribution of ashes on the forehead.
3. Lent officially ends on Holy Thursday.
4. There is a traditional custom of giving up something for lent which is voluntary.
5. The sixth Sunday in lent is Palm Sunday which marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent immediately before Easter.
6. The fourth Sunday in Lent is Mothering Sunday, which is known as Mother's Day an occasion for honoring mothers of children.
7. The Thursday before Easter Sunday is known as Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday, and is a day Christians commemorate the Last Supper shared by Christ with his disciples.
8. The Friday before Easter Sunday is known Good Friday, on which Christians remember Jesus''crucifixion and burial'.
9. Christians fast during the lent and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays during Lent.
10. Easter is the most important day on the Christian calendar.
Lent is a favorable time for showing concern for others by small yet concrete signs of our belonging to the one family. Hence every believer uses this time to prepare their hearts, minds and souls and open them up to God.