Lent Begins with Ash Wednesday

The central event of the Christian faith is the death and

resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is central in teaching and in preaching

and in the liturgy of worship. Lent prepares us for the great

celebration of the cross and resurrection.

?

Lent has its roots in the practice of the Early Church. By the

middle of the fourth century at Jerusalem, candidates for Baptism

fasted 40 days, and time was spent in study. The length of the fast

has Biblical roots: the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;

Jesus' fast at the beginning of his ministry; Moses' stay on Mt Sinai;

and Elijah's fast on his way to the mountain of God.

?

After the legalization of Christianity in 313 AD, the period of

preparation for Baptism became a general period of preparation of

all Christians for Easter. The length of the fast was 36 days--six

weeks, not counting Sundays, which are always feasts celebrating

the resurrection -- and was thought to be the tithe or tenth of the 365

days of the year. In the 6th century four days were added to the

beginning of Lent to bring it to the biblical number of 40 days.

(Information from Manual on the Liturgy, Lutheran Book of Worship.)