The Beginning of Great Lent

The first day

In 2026, the first day of Great Lent is February 23. Its date depends on Pascha and changes each year. The first Monday opens a particular season of Church life in which Christians seek to pay closer attention to prayer, actions and relationships. A change of diet is only one part of this journey. The purpose is to return to God and prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.

How the Church enters the fast

The liturgical transition begins on the preceding evening, Forgiveness Sunday. At Vespers, the character of the service changes: Lenten melodies are heard, the prayer of Saint Ephraim is read and prostrations are made. After the service, the faithful ask one another for forgiveness.

This is why an account of the beginning of Lent often starts with the previous evening. Its first civil-calendar day is Monday, rather than Sunday. Asking forgiveness reminds Christians that a relationship with God cannot be separated from relationships with other people. Paschal hymns sung that evening point toward the joy that gives the penitential journey its direction.

A gentle beginning

There is no need to attempt to change every aspect of life in a single day. A manageable time for prayer, greater attention to one’s actions and a concrete act of kindness can offer a beginning. Discuss dietary fasting with a priest, taking health and personal circumstances into account.

Restrictions alone do not give fasting its meaning. It becomes fruitful when it helps us leave indifference behind, learn forgiveness and return to love. If the first steps are difficult, continue patiently without comparing yourself with others. The beginning of Lent is an invitation to a journey toward Pascha.

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