Lent is a season of profound spiritual significance; a forty-day journey of preparation, reflection, and renewal leading up to Easter Sunday. Observed annually (excluding Sundays), it mirrors Jesus Christ’s forty days of fasting and temptation in the wilderness, inviting believers to draw closer to God through prayer, fasting, and acts of charity. Rooted in the practices of the early Church and shaped by centuries of liturgical development, Lent holds a cherished place in Anglican worship. Learn more below.
In the Anglican tradition, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, marked by the imposition of ashes on the forehead and the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This ritual sets a tone of penitence and self-examination for the forty days that follow, calling Anglicans to reflect on their mortality, repent of their sins, and prepare for the redemptive power of Christ’s death and resurrection. The number forty carries deep biblical weight; echoing Jesus’ wilderness sojourn (Matthew 4:1-11), Israel’s forty years in the desert (Exodus), and Moses’ forty days on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:18). For Anglicans, Lent is a time to emulate Christ’s discipline, often through fasting (e.g., abstaining from certain foods or habits), intensified prayer, and giving, as guided by the Book of Common Prayer.
Sundays during Lent, however, offer a counterpoint. Excluded from the forty-day count, they remain celebrations of Christ’s resurrection; a weekly “mini-Easter” which balances the season’s solemnity with hope. This rhythm reflects Anglicanism’s liturgical ethos, ensuring that even amid penance, the promise of Easter shines through.
The Origins of Lent in the Early Church
Lent’s origins stretch back to the earliest centuries of Christianity, evolving from simple pre-Easter fasts into a formalized season. In the apostolic era, the days before Easter, known as the Paschal feast, were marked by fasting and prayer to honor Christ’s passion. By the second century, this “Paschal Fast” extended to two or three days, as noted by early writers like Irenaeus of Lyons. The forty-day structure emerged in the third and fourth centuries, influenced by the growing number of converts and the Church’s response to post-persecution challenges.
A key factor in Lent’s development was the preparation of catechumens, new believers awaiting baptism at Easter. This period, known as the catechumenate, involved intense instruction and spiritual discipline, aligning with the wider Church’s fasting practices. Concurrently, Lent took on another role: the reintegration of the “lapsed,” those who denied their faith under persecution and sought to return when conditions improved. During periods of Roman persecution (e.g., under Decius in 250-251 AD), some Christians apostatized to avoid death or torture. When peace returned, many desired reconciliation, prompting the Church to establish a penitential process.
These lapsed Christians, or “penitents,” underwent public penance including the confessing of sins, wearing sackcloth and ashes, and abstaining from the Eucharist, and often concluding with restoration on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday. Lent’s forty days provided a structured time for this, mirroring Christ’s testing and offering a path to forgiveness. Church Fathers like Cyprian of Carthage advocated for this rigorous yet merciful approach, and by the fourth century, around the Council of Nicaea (325 AD), Lent had solidified as a season blending catechumenal preparation and penitential reconciliation.
Lent and the Liturgical Calendar
To understand Lent fully, one must place it within the early Church’s liturgical calendar, a framework Anglicans inherited and refined. This calendar, a cyclical narration of salvation history, moves from Christ’s incarnation (Christmas) through his ministry, death, and resurrection (Easter) to Pentecost and Advent’s anticipation of his return. Lent, as a preparatory season for Easter, emerged as a hinge in this narrative. By the second century, Easter became the central feast, its date tied to the Jewish Passover and the spring full moon. The weeks prior naturally took on a preparatory character, with Lent formalizing by the fourth century.
The forty-day duration served multiple purposes: it prepared catechumens for baptism at the Easter Vigil, supported the lapsed in their penance, and called the entire community to spiritual renewal. Early Fathers like Augustine described Lent as a time of spiritual warfare, combating sin and growing in holiness. The reintegration of the lapsed, prominent in the third and fourth centuries, left a lasting imprint on Lent’s penitential tone. As Christianity became dominant after Constantine (313 AD), Lent’s focus broadened to general repentance, though its roots in reconciliation endured.
In the Western Church, from which Anglicanism descends, practices like the Ash Wednesday ashes, echoing the sackcloth of early penitents, emerged later (7th-8th centuries), reinforcing these themes. The English Reformation preserved Lent in the Book of Common Prayer, with Thomas Cranmer adapting it to emphasize personal piety over strict rules, while retaining its early Church heritage.
Lent in Anglican Practice Today
For modern Anglicans, Lent remains a season of intentionality, reflecting its multifaceted origins. Fasting might involve giving up indulgences or taking on disciplines like daily Scripture reading. Parish life often features Lenten studies, additional services (e.g., Stations of the Cross), and a somber aesthetic which includes purple vestments, muted music, and no “Alleluias” until Easter. The liturgy, especially on Ash Wednesday, carries echoes of the early penitents, with its call to confession and amendment of life resonating with their journey back to the Church.
The connection to the lapsed, while not always explicit today, enriches Lent’s meaning. It reminds Anglicans that the season is not just about personal devotion but also about the Church as a community of grace, welcoming back those who have strayed, much as it did in the early centuries. Lent’s forty days, then, are a journey of reorientation for individuals, for the lapsed of old, and for the faithful today, all culminating in the transformative joy of Easter.
Last Updated: 03/06/2025 by Charlie Vensel
What is Lent?
In the Anglican tradition, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, marked by the imposition of ashes on the forehead and the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This ritual sets a tone of penitence and self-examination for the forty days that follow, calling Anglicans to reflect on their mortality, repent of their sins, and prepare for the redemptive power of Christ’s death and resurrection. The number forty carries deep biblical weight; echoing Jesus’ wilderness sojourn (Matthew 4:1-11), Israel’s forty years in the desert (Exodus), and Moses’ forty days on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:18). For Anglicans, Lent is a time to emulate Christ’s discipline, often through fasting (e.g., abstaining from certain foods or habits), intensified prayer, and giving, as guided by the Book of Common Prayer.
Sundays during Lent, however, offer a counterpoint. Excluded from the forty-day count, they remain celebrations of Christ’s resurrection; a weekly “mini-Easter” which balances the season’s solemnity with hope. This rhythm reflects Anglicanism’s liturgical ethos, ensuring that even amid penance, the promise of Easter shines through.
The Origins of Lent in the Early Church
Lent’s origins stretch back to the earliest centuries of Christianity, evolving from simple pre-Easter fasts into a formalized season. In the apostolic era, the days before Easter, known as the Paschal feast, were marked by fasting and prayer to honor Christ’s passion. By the second century, this “Paschal Fast” extended to two or three days, as noted by early writers like Irenaeus of Lyons. The forty-day structure emerged in the third and fourth centuries, influenced by the growing number of converts and the Church’s response to post-persecution challenges.
A key factor in Lent’s development was the preparation of catechumens, new believers awaiting baptism at Easter. This period, known as the catechumenate, involved intense instruction and spiritual discipline, aligning with the wider Church’s fasting practices. Concurrently, Lent took on another role: the reintegration of the “lapsed,” those who denied their faith under persecution and sought to return when conditions improved. During periods of Roman persecution (e.g., under Decius in 250-251 AD), some Christians apostatized to avoid death or torture. When peace returned, many desired reconciliation, prompting the Church to establish a penitential process.
These lapsed Christians, or “penitents,” underwent public penance including the confessing of sins, wearing sackcloth and ashes, and abstaining from the Eucharist, and often concluding with restoration on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday. Lent’s forty days provided a structured time for this, mirroring Christ’s testing and offering a path to forgiveness. Church Fathers like Cyprian of Carthage advocated for this rigorous yet merciful approach, and by the fourth century, around the Council of Nicaea (325 AD), Lent had solidified as a season blending catechumenal preparation and penitential reconciliation.
Lent and the Liturgical Calendar
To understand Lent fully, one must place it within the early Church’s liturgical calendar, a framework Anglicans inherited and refined. This calendar, a cyclical narration of salvation history, moves from Christ’s incarnation (Christmas) through his ministry, death, and resurrection (Easter) to Pentecost and Advent’s anticipation of his return. Lent, as a preparatory season for Easter, emerged as a hinge in this narrative. By the second century, Easter became the central feast, its date tied to the Jewish Passover and the spring full moon. The weeks prior naturally took on a preparatory character, with Lent formalizing by the fourth century.
The forty-day duration served multiple purposes: it prepared catechumens for baptism at the Easter Vigil, supported the lapsed in their penance, and called the entire community to spiritual renewal. Early Fathers like Augustine described Lent as a time of spiritual warfare, combating sin and growing in holiness. The reintegration of the lapsed, prominent in the third and fourth centuries, left a lasting imprint on Lent’s penitential tone. As Christianity became dominant after Constantine (313 AD), Lent’s focus broadened to general repentance, though its roots in reconciliation endured.
In the Western Church, from which Anglicanism descends, practices like the Ash Wednesday ashes, echoing the sackcloth of early penitents, emerged later (7th-8th centuries), reinforcing these themes. The English Reformation preserved Lent in the Book of Common Prayer, with Thomas Cranmer adapting it to emphasize personal piety over strict rules, while retaining its early Church heritage.
Lent in Anglican Practice Today
For modern Anglicans, Lent remains a season of intentionality, reflecting its multifaceted origins. Fasting might involve giving up indulgences or taking on disciplines like daily Scripture reading. Parish life often features Lenten studies, additional services (e.g., Stations of the Cross), and a somber aesthetic which includes purple vestments, muted music, and no “Alleluias” until Easter. The liturgy, especially on Ash Wednesday, carries echoes of the early penitents, with its call to confession and amendment of life resonating with their journey back to the Church.
The connection to the lapsed, while not always explicit today, enriches Lent’s meaning. It reminds Anglicans that the season is not just about personal devotion but also about the Church as a community of grace, welcoming back those who have strayed, much as it did in the early centuries. Lent’s forty days, then, are a journey of reorientation for individuals, for the lapsed of old, and for the faithful today, all culminating in the transformative joy of Easter.
Category: Anglicanism, Liturgical Seasons Tags: Abstinence, Anglicanism 101, Ash Wednesday, Charity, Easter Sunday, Fasting, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Holy Week, Lent, Maundy Thursday, Penitence, Prayer, Repentance, Spiritual Disciplines