Lent Facts for Kids

A cross is covered with a veil during Passiontide in Lent (Pfarrkirche St. Martin in Tannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany).

Lent is a special time for Christians that lasts about six weeks before Easter. It is a period when Christians become quiet and thoughtful. They prepare themselves for the Easter celebration. During Lent, many Christians focus on prayer, giving to charities, and giving up some pleasures. Lent ends at Easter, which is a joyful time. Christians remember how Jesus died on the cross and then rose again.

What is Lent?
How Long is Lent?
- When Does Lent Start and End?
Traditions During Lent
Where Does the Word "Lent" Come From?
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What is Lent?

Lent is a time for Christians to reflect and grow closer to God. It helps them get ready for the important Easter holiday. Many people choose to give up something they enjoy. This could be a favorite food or a fun activity. This practice helps them focus on their faith.

How Long is Lent?

Lent is traditionally 40 days long. This number comes from the Bible. It says that Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness. During this time, he prepared for his death and resurrection. The exact length can vary slightly between different Christian groups.

When Does Lent Start and End?

Lent always begins on a day called Ash Wednesday. For many Christians, especially in the Catholic Church, Lent ends on Maundy Thursday. This is the Thursday before Easter. Other churches, like the Anglican Catholic Church, count Lent as ending on Holy Saturday. This is the day before Easter Sunday.

Some churches, like the Eastern Orthodox Church, count the days of Lent in a different way. They have their own traditions for when Lent begins and ends.

Traditions During Lent

Lent has traditionally been a time for fasting. Fasting means not eating much food or giving up certain foods. In the past, this was also practical. It helped people eat up winter food before it spoiled.

Many Roman Catholics do not eat meat on Fridays during Lent. They often eat fish instead. This practice helps them remember the sacrifices of Jesus. It is a way to show their devotion.

Where Does the Word "Lent" Come From?

The word "lent" comes from an old English word, lencten. This word meant "spring" (the season). So, the name of this religious period is linked to the season it happens in.

Images for kids

Lent observers, including a confraternity of penitents, carrying out a street procession during Holy Week, in Granada, Nicaragua. The violet color is often associated with penance and detachment. Similar Christian penitential practice is seen in other Christian countries, sometimes associated with fasting.
In Western traditions, the liturgical colour of the season of Lent is purple. Altar crosses and religious statuary which show Christ in his glory are traditionally veiled during this period in the Christian year.
In many Christian countries, religious processions during the season of Lent are often accompanied by a military escort both for security and parade. Ceuta, Spain
Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness (Jésus tenté dans le désert), James Tissot, Brooklyn Museum
Lenten suppers often consist of a vegetarian soup, bread, and water in order to maintain the season's focus on abstinence, sacrifice, and simplicity.
The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, most notably by the public imposition of ashes. In this photograph, a woman receives a cross of ashes on Ash Wednesday outside an Anglican church.
A Lutheran pastor distributes ashes during the Divine Service on Ash Wednesday.
A Methodist minister prostrates at the start of the Good Friday liturgy at Holy Family Church, in accordance with the rubrics in the Book of Worship. The processional cross is veiled in black, the liturgical colour associated with Good Friday in Methodist Churches.
Statues and icons veiled in violet shrouds for Passiontide in St Pancras Church, Ipswich, England
The chancel of a Lutheran church decorated with red paraments, the liturgical colour of the last week of Lent, Holy Week, in the Lutheran and Anglican Churches
A Methodist minister distributing ashes to confirmands kneeling at the chancel rails on Ash Wednesday
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Old Jerusalem on Golgotha, Mount Calvary, where tradition claims Jesus was crucified and died

Lent facts for kids

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