Lent Today: Fasting, Traditions, and Meaning for North America

When does Lent occur, what fasting means, what is forbidden to eat, how the fasting structure works, when fish can be eaten, and what Lent represents in today’s world.

When is Lent?

Lent does not have fixed start or end dates. It starts on the Monday after Forgiveness Sunday, the last day of Maslenitsa, and ends seven weeks later on the Saturday before Easter. In 2024, Lent spans March 18 to May 4 inclusive, a total of 48 days.

The gist of the post

Holy Week is the pinnacle event of the church year, culminating in Easter. Lent is a period of deliberate preparation for this feast, linked to the memory of Jesus Christ’s forty days in the desert. In the book Lent and Easter, the author Elena Vladimirova presents a practical goal of fasting: cleansing the soul of old temptations. She quotes the Gospel of Matthew, reminding believers that spiritual renewal often comes through prayer and fasting. Fasting goes beyond abstaining from meat; it invites reflection and spiritual discipline that opens a channel for deeper prayer and growth.

According to Vladimirova, fasting gains meaning when paired with purposeful spiritual exercises. Those with material abundance may be shielded from higher influences, but fasting helps reestablish balance and paves the way for a sense of spiritual fulfillment. The first condition of Christian fasting is a good soul, for stubbornness can hinder the true aims of this practice.

An elder explains that fasting is a way to restore balance between body and soul, allowing the soul to lead over bodily desires. The guiding tradition emphasizes repentance, humility, and outreach as essential companions to fasting. The season is described as a time of spiritual striving and devotion to God, with warnings that worldly pleasure can fade and that perseverance is required.

The guidance stresses that abstinence from animal foods should be joined with repentance and prayer, along with turning away from entertainment and other distractions. A well-known saying reminds believers that moments of ease will fade and temptations will return. The journey through Lent is framed as a period of spiritual endeavor that invites a deeper relationship with the divine.

What not to eat

The core rules for healthy individuals involve strict dietary restrictions:

• avoid meat;

• avoid dairy products;

• avoid fish;

• avoid oil;

• and consider complete abstinence for a period of time. It is important to note that these rules are meant for healthy people; the ill or elderly may be exempt if fasting would cause harm. Vladimirova notes that those facing significant constraints still find spiritual fasting meaningful, sometimes practicing 1 to 2 fasts per week and limiting entertainment and treats for the soul’s sake.

The structure of fasting — what and when to eat

Lent lasts seven weeks before Easter and is split into two parts: the first six weeks called Lent and the last week known as Holy Week. Each week carries its own theme and significance.

• First week — The Triumph of Orthodoxy. This week honors the return of icon veneration after early church controversies and the leadership of Empress Theodora. The first week is the strictest, beginning with Clean Monday when many fast with little or no food. Early in the week the diet emphasizes dry foods such as raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dried fruits. By Friday a light hot meal is allowed, with oil not permitted yet. The first weekend can bring a broader menu including wine on Sunday.

• Second week — St. Gregory Palamas. Palamas is celebrated as a defender of hesychasm and a connector of God and the world. From the second week onward, the typical rhythm allows dry food on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with hot food without oil on Tuesday and Thursday. Saturday and Sunday may include hot dishes with vegetable oil. Lay followers have the option to eat hot meals with oil every day from the second through the sixth week, though monastic rules still offer guidance.

• Third week — Worship of the Cross. This week centers on reverence for the Cross, symbolizing Christ’s suffering and resurrection.

• Fourth week — Venerable John Climacus. He is known for The Ladder, a classic guide to the spiritual journey that remains popular among Orthodox Christians and is honored by the Church.

• Fifth week — Virgin Mary of Egypt. Mary is honored for her dramatic transformation from a life of immorality to a life of disciplined fasting. Her story in the desert highlights the power of repentance and spiritual renewal.

• Sixth week — The Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem. This week often goes by Vai, with palm leaves representing the pathway to Jerusalem. In some places willow branches replace the palms as Lent approaches its end.

• Seventh week — Holy Week. This final week recalls Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. Each day carries strict, day-by-day rules, with dry meals on Holy Monday through Wednesday, oils on Holy Thursday, and careful fasting on Good Friday. Holy Saturday culminates in the blessing of hot foods with oil before Easter.

When can I fish?

During Lent, fish and seafood are permitted only on two special days: the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the feast of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem. The Annunciation date is fixed in the liturgical calendar, while the entry into Jerusalem moves with Easter. In 2024 the date for the latter is April 28. Lazarus Saturday, observed the day before, falls on April 27 and allows fish eggs but not fish itself, as a symbolic step before the more restrictive period ends.

The meaning of Lent in the modern world

Priests emphasize that today’s world is full of temptations and mental strain. People often seek relief through meditation, travel, or other distractions, yet Lent remains a robust path to inner healing. Fasting is presented as a comprehensive practice that purifies the heart and aligns body and soul. Historical voices remind believers that fasting was central to salvation and daily life, encouraging acts of charity, mercy, and spiritual focus as part of the journey. The tradition invites a pause from the rush of modern life to reflect on personal and communal well-being and to extend care to others. Revered saints reinforce the idea that fasting is a means to heal, transform, and awaken the soul, guiding practitioners toward mercy, humility, and steadfast faith. Lent thus endures as a practical and meaningful seasoning for life, offering a chance to cleanse the heart and open space for divine grace to take root in daily living.”