Wednesday, February 17, the Lenten season began for this year. What do you know
about Lent? Here are some questions to test your knowledge about this season of the
church year.
Where does the word “Lent” come from?
How long is Lent?
Why does Lent/Easter move every year?
Where does the term Ash Wednesday come from?
What is Shrove Tuesday?
What is the purpose or meaning of Lent?
Let’s take those questions one at a time and see what you may or may not know.
Where does the word “Lent” come from? It is an old Anglo-Saxon word Lencten or
Lenchthen, which means the lengthening of the days as spring appears.
How long is Lent? Lent is a period of forty days. Originally in the first century Lent was
only a period of forty hours, the length of time Jesus’ body was in the tomb. The forty-
hour observance ended with an Easter service at 3 a.m. Later, in the third century, the
forty hours grew into six days. The six days were a time to remember the last week of
Jesus’ life. This six-day observance began in Jerusalem in the fourth century. Services
were held on the appropriate day of the places where special events took place: the
Upper Room, Gethsemane, Pilate’s Court, etc. Outside of Jerusalem the development of
the Stations of the Cross – a Roman Catholic tradition – was substituted for the actually
places in Jerusalem.
The six days grew into 36 days as a tithe of the 365 days of the year. By approximately
731 four days were added to the thirty-six to make the present season of forty days.
Those four days were Ash Wednesday to the First Sunday in Lent. The number 40 was a
popular and meaningful number: Jesus was tempted for 40 days in the wilderness, the
world was flooded when it rained for 40 days in the time of Noah, Moses fasted 40 days on
Sinai, Elijah fasted 40 days on the way to the mountain of God, and the Israelites spent 40
years in the wilderness.
Sundays were never part of Lent. We refer to the Sundays in Lent, not of Lent. Sunday
is the day to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection, not a time to be sorrowful.
Why does Lent/Easter move every year? In 325 the church decided that Easter would
fall on the first Sunday after the full moon which occurs on or after March 21. Since the
moon’s cycle changes differently than our calendars, Easter moves around between late
March and late April, about a 28-day differential.
Where does the term Ash Wednesday come from? It originated by Pope Urban II in
1099. Prior to this, the first day of Lent was known as “Beginning of the Fast.” It was to
be a special day of repentance and to open a season of repen-tance. “Ash” symbolized
the repentance called for. The ashes came from the burned palms of the previous Palm
Sunday, and as they were spread on the heads of the faithful the priest would say:
Remember thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return. Protestants dropped the custom of
receiving the ashes because they felt it contradicted the Gospel for Ash Wednesday: And
when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that
their fasting may be seen of men. (Matt. 6:15-21)
What is Shrove Tuesday? This is the day before Ash Wednesday. “Shrove” referred to
the shriving or cleansing of their sins by going to confession on this day. On the other
hand, it was a day of feasting and for carnival. The French called it Mardi Gras. The
Germans had Fasching or Fasch Nacht. It was a time to use up their store of fat which
was forbidden during Lent, therefore many Germans used up the fat by making doughnuts
on Shrove Tuesday, and the English specialized in pancakes.
What is the purpose or meaning of Lent? It is meant to be a time of penitence, of
repentance, of turning back to God, of reflecting upon one’s relationship with God through
what Jesus Christ did once and for all: die in our place. Weddings during Lent were
forbidden. Organs were stopped. Public entertainment was outlawed. Lent was a time to
be sorry for one’s sins, and for re-living the sufferings of Christ.
I encourage you to pick up the discipline of attending the mid-week Lenten worship,
Wednesday evenings at Bethany Chapel at Marquardt Village, 6:30 pm. The worship is
about 45 minutes in length.
Watertown Moravian Church
From the Pastor
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