What Is Great Lent in the Orthodox Church?

Great Lent is the principal season of repentance and spiritual preparation in the Orthodox Church. It leads the faithful toward Holy Week and the celebration of Pascha, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

What is the purpose of Great Lent?

Great Lent calls Christians to return more deliberately to God through repentance, prayer, fasting, forgiveness, worship, and acts of mercy. Its purpose is not simply to complete a religious obligation but to prepare the whole person for the celebration of Christ's Passion and Resurrection.

Is Great Lent only about food?

No. The fasting discipline is important, but Orthodox Lenten life also emphasizes prayer, confession, reconciliation, generosity, and greater participation in the services of the Church. Our article Why Do Orthodox Christians Fast? explains the broader purpose of fasting.

Why are there additional church services?

The liturgical rhythm changes during Lent. Special hymns, Scripture readings, prostrations, and services create a more penitential atmosphere and repeatedly call the faithful to repentance and hope in God.

What comes after Great Lent?

Great Lent leads into the days surrounding the raising of Lazarus and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, followed by Holy Week. During Holy Week, Orthodox Christians commemorate the final days of Christ's earthly ministry, His Mystical Supper, Passion, Crucifixion, burial, and finally His Resurrection at Pascha.

Great Lent is demanding, but its goal is not sadness for its own sake. It is a journey of repentance toward the joy of the Resurrection.