Preparing for Lent and Easter

The Christian tradition of Lent is celebrated across the globe by many different denominations of the faith. Lent is a 40-day period of sacrifice that begins on Ash Wednesday and culminates with the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.

Lent is designed to help Christians prepare for Easter through prayer, repentance of sins, almsgiving, denying the ego, and putting an end to sinful practices. Fasting is a component of Lent, as is abstinence from certain behaviors. In fact, in some Western countries, Catholics have been encouraged to adopt forms of abstinence that d...