Lent is a spiritual journey for Christians to commemorate the 40 days of fasting by Jesus in the desert, carrying religious and traditional significance. The 40-day Lent period propels millions of people around the world to pause and bring about a renewal of their faith in God by self-reflection.
The timing of Lent varies each year and often sparks excitement filled with curiosity among many. Let’s have a look at when it starts, the purpose behind Lent, a brief history of it, and the day when Lent ends in the year 2025.
When does Lent start and finish?
In 2025, Lent started on Ash Wednesday on the 5th March, 2025. The end date for Lent was April 17th, 2025, which is holy Thursday. The next year means Lent 2026 will take Place from 18 February to 2 April in 2026. Lent is a time to prepare Christians for Easter and pay homage to Jesus by commemorating the time spent by him through fasting for 40 days in the desert.
Lent is nothing less than a solemn time dedicated to fasting, prayer, and self-denial by practicing abstinence. There are some holy days that lie within the lent time. For 2025, these holy days during Lent are mentioned below in table form.
| Holy days during Lent | Date of occurrence in 2025 | What does it signify |
| Palm Sunday | April 13, 2025 | It denotes the triumphant entry led by Jesus into Jerusalem. |
| Holy Thursday | April 17, 2025 | It marks the initiation of the Easter Triduum. It also commemorates the moment of the Last Supper, while the disciples’ feet are washed by Jesus to embody an act of humility. |
| Good Friday | April 18, 2025 | A day celebrated by fasting, prayer, and abstinence to remember the Crucifixion and Passion of Jesus. |
| Holy Saturday | April 19, 2025 | It is a day to wait at church in silence, which begins the celebration of the Resurrection. |
A brief history of Lent
Lent is observed by Christian communities who commemorate the fasting days spent by Jesus in the desert without food and water. It reminds us of the time when Jesus walked through the wilderness before initiating the public ministry.
From the Gospel of Matthew, we came to learn how Jesus responded to Satan by articulating, “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Catholics maintain complete abstinence by not taking meat. Christian churches also show their complete disregard for celebratory rituals or marriage to show deference and respect to Jesus.
What does Lent mean?
The word Lent has been derived from the English word “lencten”, which stands for “spring season”. It is a time featuring a religious observance celebrated each year that spans from 5th March, 2025, to April 17th, 2025 this year, covering 40 days, excluding Sundays, starting from Ash Wednesday and lasting until Holy Thursday. The days vary considerably in each year and
Why Does the Date of Lent Change Every Year?
There is a specific reason behind the change of the Lent date each year. The reason behind it is the easter date, which generally follows a lunar calendar instead of a fixed date generally seen in a solar calendar. Easter is observed on the first Sunday after the glimpses of first full moon following the spring equinox. Thai is the reason behind the variation of the date for Lent in each year.
Why Sundays are excluded from Lent 2025- fact check
In 2025, the date of initiation for Lent is Wednesday, March 5, lasting till April 17. The date of Lent generally comprises 40 days, while Sundays are excluded from the fasting count as they are taken as days of celebration, also called “mini-Easters”.
What to do for Lent?
Some orthodox Christians spent the 40 days of Lent by fasting. The day of Lent, on Ash Wednesday, begins with ashes being worn on the foreheads by giving up the eating of fish, meat, and eggs for 40 days. Abstinence is maintained during Lent while many Christians set aside a time of their daily schedule for praying and going through the Bible to show devotion to god. Many one during the Lent show their heartfelt love for god by giving up luxurious life and comfort by not indulging in junk food, chocolate, social media, and television.
Lent is a period of sacrifice, charity, and prayer to make oneself prepared for Easter through renewing for the Christian life. Traditionally, during the period of 40 days lent many faithful and orthodox Christians take the path of fasting by giving up a comfortable life as a means of penitence. The money they collected by fasting and reducing unnecessary spending on luxuries is donated to charity.
Pope Francis brought about an invitation to encourage everyone to join Lent 2025 with a motto to celebrate it with a “journey together in hope.” It is a time to commemorate the 40 days of fasting led by Jesus in the desert before the public ministry was initiated by him.
Rewards for observing Lent
Observing Lent for 40 days makes your bond stronger with god. You also learn a key lesson on humility, and also get an opportunity to acknowledge all the sins you have committed by asking god to forgive you. You also acquire an opportunity to improve yourself with a self-control mindset and equip yourself with the quality of innocence and simplicity.
Final words
Lent is a time that comes once a year, plays a significant yet groundbreaking role in fostering relationship building with god, and above all, strengthens our personal reflection to live life better as per God’s likeness. The merciful god bestowed everyone with Divine mercy and blessed those who spend time with sacrifice, prayer, and last but not least with charity.
