Nigerian Christians have joined their counterparts around the world to celebrate Ash Wednesday which officially heralds the commencement of the Lenten season.
Lent is one of the most significant periods in the Christian liturgical calendar. The 40-day season, excluding Sundays, is dedicated to penance, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, leading up to the celebration of Easter on April 20.
The duration of Lent reflects the 40 days Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert, a period marked by reflection, sacrifice, and spiritual preparation.
It is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares Christians for Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.
During the six weeks of self-examination and reflection, Christians who observe Lent typically commit to fast, or to give up something—a habit, like smoking, watching TV, swearing, or a food or drink, such as sweets, chocolate, or coffee. Some Christians also take on a Lenten discipline, like reading the Bible and spending more time in prayer to draw nearer to God.
Strict observers of Lent do not eat meat on Fridays, often opting for fish instead. The goal of these spiritual disciplines is to strengthen the faith of the observer and develop a closer relationship with God.
In the Catholic Church, ashes are distributed as a mark to remind the faithfuls that they are dust and unto dust they shall return.
Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from palm branches blessed on the previous year’s palm Sunday, and placing them on the foreheads of participants.
According to the canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus Christ spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation, Lent, therefore originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days as preparation for Easter.
