Lent 2022: dates, food calendar by day

Very soon, Orthodox Christians will meet a cheerful Maslenitsa (or Cheese Week), followed by Great Lent. This is the central of all fasts in the Orthodox calendar, which is considered the longest and most strict. The purpose of Great Lent is to prepare believers for Easter, to help them spiritually tune in to the celebration Great Sunday of Christ. And also - to remind all the laity about how Jesus Christ, after his baptism, fasted for 40 days and nights in the desert and escaped the temptation of the devil

More and more people in Ukraine in recent years are trying to adhere to the "food" prohibitions of Lent. Although the church repeatedly emphasizes that fasting is not only and not so much abstinence from fast food, but also moral preparation, repentance and purification of thoughts and spirit. But many believe that the rejection of the usual diet just helps to tune in the right way. And besides, as a “bonus” you can achieve cleansing of the body. If you decide to “keep fasting”, you need to remember that every day has its own prohibitions and rules. To make it easier for you to navigate them, we have prepared a visual table.

Lent 2022: dates and weeks

Great Lent lasts 48 days, which are divided into weeks (weeks). It will start in 2022 March 7 (Monday), will continue until April 23 (Saturday) and will end with the feast of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, which falls on April 24th. Throughout the fast, it is forbidden to eat any products of animal origin (meat and offal, milk and butter, eggs), and also drink alcohol (but on some days you can guilt). The basis of nutrition at this time should be vegetables, fruits, cereals, grains and legumes, honey, nuts and dried fruits.

Each week of Great Lent has its own name and is dedicated to certain events. The first one is called Fedorov week (March 7-13) and is considered one of the most strict in terms of abstinence from food. On the first day, you can not eat, it is only allowed to drink water. And from Tuesday to Friday, you need to adhere to dry eating - you can only eat fruits and vegetables that have not been heat-treated (raw, dried, pickled, soaked). Bread is allowed as an exception. During Fyodor's Week, the churches honor the defenders of the Orthodox faith and celebrate the victory of Orthodoxy over heresy.

The second week of Lent is dedicated to the commemoration of St. Gregory Palamas (March 14-20). From this week until Holy Week (the last before Easter), Monday, Wednesday and Friday are allotted for dry eating. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you can eat hot food without vegetable oil, and on weekends, food with vegetable oil and some wine is allowed.

The third week is called Cross (March 21-27): this week in churches, a Holy Cross decorated with flowers is brought out from behind the altar, which reminds believers of the suffering of Jesus Christ and helps them strengthen their strength to continue fasting.

The fourth week is called Week of St. John of the Ladder (March 28 - April 3), hegumen Mount Sinai, who compiled the book "The Ladder". This week is exactly the middle of Lent. Throughout the fourth week, believers venerate the Cross, which was brought out on the Week of the Cross. Therefore, this period is also called the Middle Cross.

The fifth week is called Commendation Week (April 4-10), because at this time a special prayer is read in churches - Praise to the Most Holy Theotokos. Believers at this time can turn to the Mother of God for help and thank her for her intercession before God. This year's Commendation Week will also celebrate Feast of the Annunciation (April 7) - this is one of the two days throughout Lent when believers can eat fish.

The sixth week is dedicated to the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. People call her Palm Week (April 11-17): according to legend, at this time, Jesus Christ appeared in Jerusalem as the Messiah, and people greeted him, waving willow branches. Palm Week ends Palm Sunday (April 17) - This is the second day of Lent, when it is allowed to eat fish. On the eve of the believers will celebrate Lazarus Saturday (April 16) - On this day, fish is not allowed, but you can eat some caviar.

The last week before Easter is called Holy Week (April 18-23) - in memory of the suffering that Jesus Christ experienced in the last days of his life on earth. As in the first week, at this time, believers observe the strictest fast: from Monday to Saturday, only dry eating is allowed.

Calendar of Great Lent 2022 by days

Lent 2022: what is forbidden

In addition to dietary restrictions, there are a number of other prohibitions for believers during Great Lent. For example, it is forbidden to smoke, drink alcohol (with the exception of wine on weekends), and take part in noisy entertainment. Also, you can’t quarrel, swear and swear - in general, at this time you need to try to protect yourself from negative thoughts. Do not judge those who, unlike you, do not fast. Forgive insults and do not sort things out. If possible, go to church more often, or at least read prayers and spiritual books.

Many priests recommend limiting intimate life during Lent. However, this is not a strict prohibition: if, for example, one of the spouses does not adhere to abstinence, then it is quite permissible to fulfill marital duty. This will help maintain peace and understanding in the family. The church also allows children under 14, pregnant women, people with chronic or serious illnesses, those who are on the road, engaged in hard physical or mental labor not to fast.

You will also be interested in reading:

5 rules of Great Lent: how to prepare, eat, who should not fast

Great Lent: when and how to introduce children to a new diet