The Christian season of Lent commences on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025, marking a 40-day period of penance, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving leading up to Easter on April 20. This season mirrors the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert. On Ash Wednesday, believers receive ashes on their foreheads as a reminder of mortality and the call to repentance.
Key dates in Lent 2025 include Ash Wednesday on March 5, Palm Sunday on April 13, Maundy Thursday on April 17, Good Friday on April 18, and Easter Sunday on April 20. The timing of Lent varies each year based on the Easter date, which follows the lunar calendar.
During Lent, Christians often fast by abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays until Easter. Many also give up luxuries or habits as a form of sacrifice. Prayer and acts of charity are emphasized to deepen faith and commitment to God’s teachings.
Pope Francis has encouraged believers to detach from worldly distractions during Lent, focusing on spiritual growth. As Christians worldwide observe Lent in 2025, they are called to embrace its disciplines with sincerity, preparing for Easter’s message of resurrection joy. The significance of fasting and prayer is highlighted during this period of reflection and spiritual renewal.