What is Lent?

Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Holy Saturday.

Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, meaning “lengthen” and refers to the lengthening days of spring.

The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring temptation and preparing to begin his ministry.

Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter.
It is a time of self-examination and reflection.

Christians focus on relationship with God, growing as disciples, and extending ourselves, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give our ourselves to others.

Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter."
On each Lord's Day in Lent, while Lenten fasts continue, the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.

Text adapted from umc.org