Fasting during Lent is an ancient and profound practice in Christian tradition, dating back to the first centuries of the Church. This period of fasting and abstinence has powerful spiritual significance and is one of the main disciplines of Lent, marking the 40 days of preparation before the celebration of Christ's resurrection at Easter.
The origin of fasting during Lent has its roots in the Gospels, particularly in the story of Jesus' fasting in the desert. After his baptism by John the Baptist, Jesus withdrew into the desert for 40 days of fasting and prayer, marking the first biblical reference to the concept of fasting linked to spiritual preparation.
Fasting during Lent is also influenced by the Jewish practice of fasting, particularly the fasting of the Great Day of Atonement, during which Jews abstained from food and other pleasures for a day to seek God's forgiveness. Early Christians adapted this Jewish tradition to reflect the spiritual preparation for Easter.
The 40-day duration of Lent is symbolic, recalling the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert and the many other biblical events linked to the number 40, such as the 40 days of Noah's flood and the 40 years the people of Israel wandered in the desert.
Fasting during Lent usually involves abstaining from certain types of food, particularly meat, and sometimes entire meals. Some Christians also choose to abstain from certain pleasures or habits during this period, thus practising a more extensive form of fasting. The aim of these deprivations is not simply to abstain physically, but to create space for prayer, reflection, meditation and charity.
The practice of fasting is not just a way of depriving oneself of something, but also a way of refocusing on the spiritual life. By abstaining from food or other pleasures, believers seek to develop self-control, spiritual discipline and a reminder of their dependence on God. It is an act of penance, purification and spiritual preparation.
Ash Wednesday marks the formal beginning of the fast, symbolised by the blessing of the ashes and the tracing of a cross on the foreheads of the faithful. These ashes often come from the blessed branches from the previous year's Feast of Palms, underlining the continuous liturgical cycle.
Over the centuries, specific fasting practices have varied according to Christian traditions, but the fundamental principle of renunciation and spiritual preparation remains. Fasting during Lent is a time of voluntary sacrifice, spiritual discipline and seeking closeness to God, reminding believers of Christ's teachings on the inner life and the priority of the spiritual life.
