Lent 2024
Lent: Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2024 through
Holy Saturday March 28, 2024. The season of Lent
begins with Ash Wednesday and lasts until the
final Saturday before Easter, Holy Saturday.
Lent is a penitential season. It recalls the 40
days Jesus spent in the desert, and the 40 years
the Israelites wandered in the desert. Lent
focuses on the events leading up to Christ's passion,
and finally on the Passion itself. Lent is 40 days
long. This does not include Sundays, as Sunday is
always a day for rejoicing in the Resurrection.
Altogether, it covers 46 calendar days, the 40 days
plus the six Sundays. Lent ends with the start of
the Mass of the Lords Supper on Holy Thursday.
This year, Lent ends on March 28, 2024.
The liturgical colors of Lent are violet or purple,
traditionally more of a red-violet color than the
deep purple of Advent. Rose may also be used, where
it is the custom, on Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday
during Lent). On Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday) and
on Good Friday (which has no Mass but a service
remembering Christ's passion) the color is red.
White or violet is worn on Holy Thursday and Holy
Saturday (once again, there is no Mass but there
are other services on Holy Saturday). |