When Does Lent 2017 End? What Is the Meaning of Religious Observance?
This year, Lent will end on Thursday, April 13. Lent ends on the day before Good Friday, on the week that precedes Easter Sunday this year, which is on April 16.
Lent is a solemn religious observance in the Liturgical calendar that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends approximately six weeks later, on the Thursday before Easter Sunday. This year, Lent will end on April 13, before Easter Sunday which will be on April 16.
Unlike Christmas, All Saint's Day, or Easter Sunday, all of which are also celebrated by the secular, nonreligious world, the Lenten season is one of the few special events that remain uniquely Christian.
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Lent is a period of fasting, moderation and self-denial traditionally observed by Catholic and mostly Protestant denominations. The length of the Lenten fast had been established in the 4th century as 40 days, excluding Sundays, which have always been considered Feast Days throughout the year. From Ash Wednesday to Easter, many solemnly mark their foreheads with ash (on Ash Wednesday), and fast or abstain from certain foods or physical pleasures for 40 days in an effort to honor Jesus Christ's 40-days fasting in the wilderness, as also noted by Wikipedia.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the real aim of Lent is to prepare those who observe its practices for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ. It is believed that one can commemorate this sacred mystery with a heart and mind made purer by the Lenten sacrifice.
One of the purposes of the practices of Lent is to provide that purification by avoiding sin and selfishness through a measure of self-denial and prayer, nurturing the desire to do God's will and to welcome his words into the minds and hearts of the faithful. With this in mind, the Lenten sacrifice should not be a show of one's sacrifice or an effort to try to earn God's favor, but instead should be focused on improving one's faith in the sacrifice and resurrection of his son, Jesus.
Lent is an annual opportunity to get closer to God. The faithful can consider it a limited time that they can take advantage of to strengthen their faith together with other Christians.
