Lent

A period of spiritual preparation for Easter, consisting of fasting and prayer. The period lasts 40 days - to represent the time Jesus spent in the desert, where according to the Bible he endured temptation by Satan.

In Western Christianity, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Holy Saturday. The 6 Sundays in Lent are not counted among the 40 days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter", a celebration of Jesus' victory over sin and death.

In those churches that follow the Byzantine tradition (e.g. Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics), the 40 days of Lent are calculated differently: the fast begins on Clean Monday, Sundays are included in the count, and it ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday.