Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday are days scheduled in the calendar for February each year and following them comes Lent but what is it and why do we celebrate it?
After using up bits in the cupboard to make pancakes for Pancake Day (also known as Shrove Tuesday), many religious people turn their attention to Ash Wednesday – the start of a period of reflection and fasting.
Whether you’re looking to start your own this Lent or you want to know more about it, look no further.
What is Lent?
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and during this period, many people give things up.
This can be things they normally love doing like eating chocolate or scrolling on social media, the BBC reports.
However, some might decide to start something new like being kinder to loved ones or helping out more at home.
The BBC explains why people decide to give things up or test their self-discipline, saying: “Christians believe that this is to represent Jesus Christ's sacrifice when he went into the desert to pray and fast for the 40 days before later dying on the cross.
“In the Bible's New Testament, while Jesus was there, Satan tempted him to turn away from God and worship him instead, but Jesus refused to, which is why people might give something up, in order to test their own self-discipline too.”
How long does Lent last for and why do people take part?
Lent lasts for 40 days and it’s a time for Christians to “remember the events leading up to and including the death of Jesus Christ, whose life and teachings are the foundation of Christianity”, the BBC explains.
The broadcaster adds: “It is a time of reflection and of asking for forgiveness, and when Christians prepare to celebrate Jesus's resurrection at the feast of Easter, which comes at the very end of Lent.
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“On Ash Wednesday, churches hold special services, at which worshippers are marked with ash.
“This is a symbol of death and remembering bad things that we have done, and is where the day gets its name from.
“Typically, the ash is made from burning special crosses made out of palm wood, which were used in church services on the previous year's Palm Sunday. It is sometimes mixed with special oil.”
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