Following Mardi-Gras, with its donuts and carnival, come Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent. What do these somewhat mysterious terms really mean, and what traditions do they hold that are so meaningful for Christians?
Ash Wednesday always falls on the day immediately following Mardi Gras. As explained in our article about this celebration, Mardi Gras is the day for indulging in all kinds of excess — a time to feast and heavy indulge before entering a period of "fasting". This Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a season during which the faithful abstain from meat and other cherished foods in a spirit of penitence.
But where does this special name come from? On Ash Wednesday, believers go to church for a special celebration, during which ashes from the previous year's branches are consecrated and placed on the foreheads of the faithful in the form of a cross. Ashes are highly symbolic: they are a sign of repentance. They represent sin and the fragility of being. By covering themselves with them, believers show that they recognize their sins and ask God to forgive them.
Penance is at the heart of the Lenten period. For 40 days (not including Sundays), the faithful will eat lean (no meat and no rich or refined dishes), pray, do penance and give alms.
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Day, the most important event in the Christian calendar. The whole period of Lent is a time of preparation for the death and resurrection of Christ. Believers try to draw closer to him through concrete actions: they must deprive themselves of that which distances them from God, adopt a path of humility through prayer and penance, and turn to those in need of help.
During Lent, believers also observe Holy Week, which takes place just before Easter and marks the end of the season. It begins with Palm Sunday (commemorating Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem) and includes Holy Thursday (celebrating the Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist), Good Friday (marking Christ’s Passion and crucifixion), and concludes on the night of Holy Saturday into Easter Sunday.
Why 40 days? This period represents the 40 years spent in the desert by the people of Israel, between their escape from Egypt and their entry into the promised land. This number can also be associated with the 40 days spent by Jesus Christ in the desert, between his baptism and the beginning of his public life. In fact, the word "Lent" comes from the contraction of the Latin word quadragesima, meaning "fortieth".
Like Ramadan, which shares many similarities, Lent is a movable feast: its date varies each year. It is traditionally calculated based on Easter, meaning it begins 40 days before Easter Sunday (excluding Sundays). Easter itself is determined by lunar calculations, occurring on the Sunday following the first full moon of spring, which starts on March 21.
This year, Lent begins on February 18th and ends on April 2nd, 2026. Next year, Lent is expected to start around February 10th and conclude on March 25th, 2027.
Dates and Opening Time
From February 18, 2026 to April 2, 2026
