THE LENTEN SEASON

Lent - a period of fasting leading up to Easter.

Is rooted in the 40-day fast of Jesus in the wilderness.
"Lent" comes from a word meaning "lengthening days"
Catholic Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, and ends right before the evening Masses
of Holy Thursday, although Lenten penance continues through Holy Saturday.
In 2019, Lent begins on March 6th in the Latin Church
Is the time of spiritual preparation prior to the Easter season
Jesus taught us clearly that there is no resurrection without the Cross
Lent is the Church's great spiritual journey as she, the Bride of Christ, joins her Divine
spouse in His great suffering on our behalf.

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Ash Wednesday: Marks the start of Lent and the time for penance. Obligatory day of
fasting (ages 18 to 59) and abstinence (ages 14+)
Fridays of Lent: Obligatory abstinence (ages 14+) All Fridays (even outside of Lent)
are days of penance.
Holy Thursday: Lent ends and the Holy Triduum begins in the evening with the
commemoration of the Institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper.
Good Friday: The anniversary of the Crucifixion of Christ (no Mass) Obligatory day of
fasting (ages 18 to 59) and abstinence (ages 14+)
Holy Saturday: Christ is in the grave conquering death and freeing the captives. Final
day of Lenten fasting (no daily Mass, Easter Vigil begins at sundown)
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Sacred Triduum: The period of 3 days (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday)
during which we remember Christ's Passion, ending at the Easter Vigil (Saturday
evening)
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Easter Sunday: Lent has ended and the joy begins, the day of Christ's resurrection,
the principle Christian feast of the entire liturgical year. This is the celebration of Christ's
victory over sin and death merited for us by his passion, death, and resurrection from
the dead on Easter Sunday.

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4. Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34 My God, My
The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus
God, why have you forsaken me
1. Luke 23:34: Father, forgive them, for they
5. John 19:28: I thirst.
know not what they do.
6. John 19:30: It is finished.
2. Luke 23:43: Truly, I say to you, today you
7. Luke 23:46: Father, into thy hands I
will be with me in paradise.
commend my spirit.
3. John 19:26–27: Woman, behold your son.
Son, behold your mother
Traditionally, these seven sayings are called words of 1. Forgiveness,
2. Salvation, 3. Relationship, 4. Abandonment, 5. Distress, 6. Triumph and
7. Reunion
Stations of the Cross, also called Way of the Cross, a series of 14 pictures or carvings
portraying events in the Passion of Christ.

(1) Jesus is condemned to death,
(2) he is made to bear his cross,
(3) he falls the first time,
(4) he meets his mother,
(5) Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the cross,
(6) Veronica wipes Jesus’ face,
(7) he falls the second time,
(8) the women of Jerusalem weep over Jesus,
(9) he falls the third time,
(10) he is stripped of his garments,
(11) he is nailed to the cross,
(12) he dies on the cross,
(13) he is taken down from the cross
(14) he is placed in the sepulchre.

Prayerful meditation through the Stations of the Cross is especially common during Lent and
on Fridays throughout the year, in commemoration of Christ’s Crucifixion on Good Friday.