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Celebrations » Chinese New Year » Lent 2011
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Lent 2011 |
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Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. Ash Wednesday marks the first day or the start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days prior to Easter in Western Christianity.
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Lent is a time when many Christians get ready for Easter by observing a period of fasting, moderation, repentance and spiritual discipline.
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The six Sundays in Lent are not counted among the forty days of lent because each Sunday represents a mini Easter, a celebration of Jesus' victory over sin and death.
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The purpose is to set to the side time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, death, burial, his life and resurrection. In Western Christianity Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Holy Saturday.
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Lent is a time of grounding for the death of Christ on Good Friday and his revivification on Easter Sunday. It is a period of 40 days of repentance, with prayer, fasting and abstinence, and Confession.
Not all Christian churches observe Lent but also Lent is mostly observed by the Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist and Anglican denominations, and also by Roman Catholics. Eastern Orthodox churches examine Lent or Great Lent, during the 6 weeks or 40 days preceding Palm Sunday with fasting continuing during the Holy Week of Easter. Lent for Eastern Orthodox churches instigate on Monday and Ash Wednesday is not observed. Lent in 2011 will start on Wednesday, the 9th of March and will continue for 46 days until Saturday, the 23rd of April.
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