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Great Lent, or the Great Fast (Greek: Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, meaning "Great 40 Days", and "Great Fast", respectively), is the most important fasting season of the church year within many denominations of Eastern Christianity. It is intended to prepare Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, Pascha (Easter).[1]
An Orthodox church in the Czech Republic vested in lenten colors (Třebíč).
Great Lent shares its origins with the Lent of Western Christianity and has many similarities with it. There are some differences in the timing of Lent, besides calculating the date of Easter and how it is practiced, both liturgically in the public worship of the church and individually.
One difference between Eastern Christianity and Western Christianity is the calculation of the date of Easter (see Computus). Most years, the Eastern Pascha falls after the Western Easter, and it may be as much as five weeks later; occasionally, the two dates coincide. Like Western Lent, Great Lent itself lasts for forty days, but in contrast to the West, Sundays are included in the count.
Great Lent officially begins on Clean Monday, seven weeks before Pascha (Ash Wednesday is not observed in Eastern Christianity), and runs for 40 continuous days, concluding with the Presanctified Liturgy on Friday of the Sixth Week. The next day is called Lazarus Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday. Thus, in case the Easter dates coincide, Clean Monday is two days before Ash Wednesday.
Fasting continues throughout the following week, known as Passion Week or Holy Week, and does not end until after the Paschal Vigil early in the morning of Pascha (Easter Sunday).
^Moroz, Vladimir (10 May 2016). "Лютерани східного обряду: такі є лише в Україні" (in Ukrainian). РІСУ - Релігійно-інформаційна служба України. Retrieved 19 September 2018. В українських лютеран, як і в ортодоксальних Церквах, напередодні Великодня є Великий Піст або Чотиридесятниця.
GreatLent, or the Great Fast (Greek: Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, meaning "Great 40 Days", and "Great Fast", respectively), is the most important...
Lent (Latin: Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christian religious observance in the liturgical year commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting...
It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus Christ, preceded by Lent (or GreatLent), a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance. Easter-observing...
GreatLent and culminates on Resurrection Sunday. Word Peturta in Syriac means "looking back" or "reconciliation". Faithful enter the weeks of Great Fast...
Great Week, it is the week following GreatLent and Lazarus Saturday, starting on the evening of Palm Sunday and concluding on the evening of Great Saturday...
leading up to GreatLent; the Fast of GreatLent itself; the Paschal fast during Holy Week which immediately follows GreatLent. GreatLent lasts 55 days...
Gregorian Calendar). Also on Great Friday, the clergy no longer wear the purple or red that is customary throughout GreatLent, but instead don black vestments...
during GreatLent. The former name derives from the fact that this Sunday is followed by a special Vespers called "Forgiveness Vespers" which opens Great Lent...
hours are extended and complex, lasting about eight hours (longer during GreatLent) but are abridged outside of large monasteries. An iconostasis, a partition...
solemn season of Lent, preceding Eastertide, while in Eastern Christianity, Holy Week commences after the conclusion of GreatLent. In most Christian...
Church. Methodist Publishing House. 1964. p. 101. Retrieved 25 March 2017. GreatLent, Holy Week, and Pascha: The Sacrament of Holy Unction: Holy Wednesday...
in washing their feet. "Great and Holy Thursday". Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Retrieved 5 April 2009. "GreatLent: Theology, Homilies, Services...
This period includes the three weeks preceding GreatLent, the "pre-Lenten period", the forty days of Lent, and Holy Week. The 50 days following Pascha...
mythology in its ritual. It is celebrated during the last week before GreatLent; that is, the eighth week before Eastern Orthodox Pascha. The date of...
break and bless bread as at a Vigil, but to omit the blessing of oil. GreatLent was originally the period of catechesis for new converts in order to prepare...
throughout Lent. As such it became part of the service of the Salutations to the Theotokos (used in the Byzantine tradition during GreatLent). Apart from...
1 April, and, according to the Moveable Cycle, on the fifth Sunday of GreatLent, on which day it is customary for the priest to bless dried fruit after...
also known as Pure Monday, Green Monday or simply Monday of Lent is the first day of GreatLent throughout Eastern Christianity and is a moveable feast,...
fasting seasons of the year, which include not only the better-known GreatLent, but also fasts on every Wednesday and Friday (except on special holidays)...
particle commemorating him. Finally, the bishop censes the offerings. During GreatLent it is not permitted to celebrate the Divine Liturgy on weekdays. However...
read at the daily offices, all the Psalms are read each week and, during GreatLent, twice a week. Octoechos (Greek: Ὀκτώηχος; Slavonic: Октоихъ, Oktoikh...
Shrovetide or Fastelavn); it thus falls on the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", reflecting the...
year, as days of joy and triumph interposed between the penitence of GreatLent and the mourning of Holy Week. During the preceding week the propers in...
served on Clean Monday (Καθαρά Δευτέρα, Kathará Deftéra), the first day of GreatLent, with onions and lemon. Borrowed from Greek word ταραμάς (roe), itself...
mark the last consumption of eggs and dairy before Lent begins. In the Orthodox Church, GreatLent begins on Clean Monday, rather than Wednesday, so the...
Christ's resurrection. Samaan, Moses (9 April 2009). "The Meaning of the GreatLent". Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii...
the church year, as days of joy and triumph between the penitence of GreatLent and the mourning of Holy Week. During the preceding week, the hymns in...
and hence Lent, falls very early the Sunday of the Canaanite woman is dropped and the Sunday of Zaccheaus falls immediately before GreatLent. However...
is a prayer attributed to Saint Ephrem the Syrian and used during the GreatLent by the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic Churches. In the Byzantine...
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