Great Lent: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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'''Great Lent''', or the '''Great Fast''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή, ''Megali Tessarakosti'' or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, ''Megali Nisteia'', meaning "Great 40 Days,", and "Great Fast,", respectively), is the most important [[fasting]] season of the [[church year]] within many denominations of [[Eastern Christianity]]. It is intended to prepare Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, [[Easter|Pascha]] (Easter).<ref name="Moroz">{{cite web|url=https://risu.org.ua/ua/index/exclusive/kaleidoscope/63352/|title=Лютерани східного обряду: такі є лише в Україні|last=Moroz|first=Vladimir|date=10 May 2016|publisher=РІСУ - Релігійно-інформаційна служба України|language=uk|access-date=19 September 2018|quote=В українських лютеран, як і в ортодоксальних Церквах, напередодні Великодня є Великий Піст або Чотиридесятниця.}}</ref>

Great Lent shares its origins with the [[Lent|Lent of Western Christianity]] and has many similarities with it. There are some differences in the timing of Lent, besides calculating the date of Easter and how it is practiced, both liturgically in the public worship of the church and individually.

One difference between Eastern Christianity and Western Christianity is the calculation of the date of Easter (see [[Computus]]). Most years, the Eastern Pascha falls after the Western Easter, and it may be as much as five weeks later; occasionally, the two dates coincide. Like Western Lent, Great Lent itself lasts for forty days, but in contrast to the West, Sundays are included in the count.

Great Lent officially begins on [[Clean Monday]], seven weeks before [[Easter|Pascha]] ([[Ash Wednesday]] is not observed in Eastern Christianity), and runs for 40 ~~contiguous~~continuous days, concluding with the Presanctified Liturgy on Friday of the Sixth Week. The next day is called [[Lazarus Saturday]], the day before [[Palm Sunday]]. Thus, in case the Easter dates coincide, Clean Monday is two days before Ash Wednesday.

Fasting continues throughout the following week, known as Passion Week or [[Holy Week]], and does not end until after the [[Paschal Vigil]] early in the morning of Pascha (Easter Sunday).

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===Self-discipline===

Observance of Great Lent is characterized by [[fasting]] and [[abstinence]] from certain foods, intensified private and public prayer, self-examination, [[Confession (religion)|confession]], personal improvement, [[repentance]] and [[restitution]] for sins committed, and [[almsgiving]]. Fasting is defined as not consuming food until evening (at sundown).<ref name="OrInf">[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/exo_fasting.aspx Concerning Fasting on Wednesday and Friday]. ''Orthodox Christian Information Center''. Accessed 2010-10-08.</ref> The Lenten supper that is eaten after the fast is broken in the evening must not include certain foods.<ref name="OrInf"/> Foods most commonly abstained from are [[meat]], [[fish]], [[eggs as food|eggs]], [[dairy products]], [[wine]], and oil. According to some traditions, only [[olive oil]] is abstained from; in others, all [[vegetable oils]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.abbamoses.com/fasting.html|title=The Fasting Rule of the Orthodox Church|website=www.abbamoses.com|access-date=2018-08-02}}</ref>

While wine and oil are permitted on Saturdays, Sundays, and a few feast days, and fish is permitted on [[Palm Sunday]] as well as the [[Annunciation]] when it falls before Palm Sunday, and [[caviar]] is permitted on [[Lazarus Saturday]], meat and dairy are prohibited entirely until the fast is broken on [[Easter]].<ref name="The Fasting Rule of the Church">{{cite web | url=http://www.abbamoses.com/fasting.html | title=The Fasting Rule of the Church | publisher=abbamoses.com | access-date=19 February 2015}}</ref> Additionally, Eastern Orthodox Christians traditionally abstain from sexual relations during Lent.<ref name="Menzel2014">{{cite web |last1=Menzel |first1=Konstantinos |title=Abstaining From Sex Is Part of Fasting |url=https://greekreporter.com/2014/04/14/abstaining-from-sex-is-part-of-fasting/ |publisher=[[Greek Reporter]] |access-date=27 May 2021 |language=English |date=14 April 2014}}</ref>

Besides the additional liturgical celebrations described below, Christians are expected to pay closer attention to and increase their private prayer.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} According to [[Byzantine Rite]] [[theology]], when [[asceticism]] is increased, prayer must be increased also. The [[Church Fathers]]{{which?|date=March 2023}} have referred to fasting without prayer as "the fast of the demons"{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} since the [[demons]] do not eat according to their incorporeal nature, but neither do they pray.

===Liturgical observances===

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During the Great Fast, a special service book is used, known as the [[Triodion|Lenten Triodion]], which contains the Lenten texts for the [[Daily Office]] (Canonical Hours) and Liturgies. The Triodion begins during the Pre-Lenten period to supplement or replace portions of the regular services. This replacement begins gradually, initially affecting only the [[Epistle]] and [[Gospel]] readings, and gradually increases until Holy Week when it entirely replaces all other liturgical material. During the [[Triduum]] even the [[Psalter]] is eliminated, and all texts are taken exclusively from the Triodion. The Triodion is used until the lights are extinguished before midnight at the [[Paschal Vigil]], at which time it is replaced by the [[Pentecostarion]], which begins by replacing the normal services entirely (during [[Bright Week]]) and gradually diminishes until the normal services resume following the [[Afterfeast]] of [[Pentecost]].

On the weekdays of Great Lent, the full [[Divine Liturgy]] is not celebrated, because the joy of the [[Eucharist]] (literally "Thanksgiving") is contrary to the attitude of repentance which predominates on these days. Since it is considered especially important to receive the [[Holy Mysteries]] (Holy Communion) during this season, the [[Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts]]—also called the Liturgy of [[Pope Gregory I|St. Gregory the Dialogist]]— may be celebrated on weekdays.

This service starts with [[Vespers]] during which [[Lamb (liturgy)|a portion]] of the [[Body of Christ|Body]] and [[Blood of Christ]], which was [[reserved Sacrament|reserved]] the previous Sunday, is brought to the [[Prothesis (altar)|prothesis table]]. This is followed by a solemn [[Entrance (liturgical)#Great Entrance|great entrance]] where the Holy Mysteries are brought to the altar table, and then, skipping the [[Anaphora (liturgy)|anaphora (eucharistic prayer)]], the outline of remainder of the divine liturgy is followed, including [[Eucharist|holy communion]]. Most [[parish church|parishes]] and [[monasteries]] celebrate this liturgy only on Wednesdays, Fridays and [[feast day]]s, but it may be celebrated on any weekday of Great Lent.

Because the divine liturgy is not celebrated on weekdays, the [[Typica#Liturgical service|Typica]] occupies its place in the [[~~Canonical_hours~~Canonical hours#Byzantine Rite usage|canonical hours]], whether or not a liturgy is celebrated at vespers. On Saturday and Sunday the Divine Liturgy may be celebrated as usual. On Saturdays, the usual [[Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom]] is celebrated; on Sundays the longer [[Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great]] is used.

The services of the [[Canonical Hours]] are much longer during Great Lent and the structure of the services is different on weekdays. The usual evening [[Compline#Small Compline|small compline]] is replaced by the much longer service of [[Great Compline]]. While in the Russian tradition Great Compline is used on Friday night (though some parts are read rather than sung and some Lenten material is replaced by non-Lenten hymns), in the Greek practice, ordinary Compline is used together with, on the first four weeks, a quarter of the [[Akathist#Akathist to the Theotokos|Akathist to the Theotokos]]. On the fifth Saturday, known as the Saturday of the Akathist, everywhere, the entire Akathist is sung at Matins.

In “The Typikon Decoded”, Archbishop Job Getcha offers this comparison of the commemorations associated with the Sundays of Great Lent in the “Ancient Triodion”. These more ancient commemorations are retained in the hymnography still in use for the “Contemporary” Sundays of St Gregory Palamas, St John of the Ladder, and St Mary of Egypt. On each of these, the troparia of the ~~1<sup>st</sup>~~1st Canon at Matins reference the more ancient commemoration, the Prodigal Son, Good Samaritan, and the Rich Man and Lazarus respectively.

During Palm Week, between the Sunday of St Mary of Egypt and Lazarus Saturday, the ~~1<sup>st</sup>~~1st Canon at Matins on each weekday references the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus as a parallel to the Lazarus of Bethany who falls ill and is raised from the dead after four days in the tomb (John 11:1-45). ~~[source~~<ref>Archbishop Job Getcha: ''The Typikon Decoded: An Explanation of Byzantine Liturgical Practice~~, by Archbishop Job Getcha~~''. St Vladimir's Seminary Press,: Yonkers, New York. ISBN 978-088141-412-7] </ref>

{| class="wikitable"

~~'''~~! Ancient Triodia~~'''~~ ~~.......................................~~ ~~'''~~ !! Contemporary Triodia~~'''~~

| ''(Jerusalem Lectionary)'' ~~_ _~~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ || ''(Constantinople Lectionary)''

| Sunday of the Holy Prophets ~~.....................~~ || Sunday of Triumph of Orthodoxy

| Sunday of the Prodigal Son ~~........................~~ || Sunday of St Gregory Palamas

| Sunday of the Publican & Pharisee ~~............~~ || Veneration of the Cross

| Sunday of the Good Samaritan~~...................~~ || Sunday of St John Climacus (of "The Ladder")

| Sunday of the Rich Man & Lazarus~~.............~~ || Sunday of St Mary of Egypt

| Palm Sunday~~................................................~~ || Palm Sunday

==== Theme of Lenten joy ====

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In fact, days which follow the Lenten pattern of services are referred to as "days with Alleluia". This theme of "Lenten joy" is also found in many of the hymns of the Triodion, such as the [[sticheron|stichera]] which begin with the words: "The Lenten Spring has dawned!..." ([[Vespers]] [[Aposticha]], Wednesday of ''[[Maslenitsa]]'') and "Now is the season of repentance; let us begin it joyfully, O brethren..." ([[Matins]], Second [[Canon (hymnography)|Canon]], Ode 8, Monday of ''Maslenitsa'').

The making of [[prostration]]s during the services increases as well. The one [[prayer]] that typifies the Lenten services is the [[Prayer of Saint Ephrem]], which is said at each service on weekdays, accompanied by [[poklon|full prostrations]]. One translation of it reads:

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</poem></blockquote>

The public reading of [[Scripture]] is increased during Great Lent. The [[Psalter]] ([[Book of Psalms]]), which is normally read through once a week, is read through twice each week for the six weeks prior to Holy Week. Readings from the [[Old Testament]] are also increased, with the Books of [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]], [[Book of Proverbs|Proverbs]] and [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] being read through almost in their entirety at the [[Sext|Sixth Hour]] and [[Vespers]]. During Cheesefare Week, the readings at these services are taken from [[Book of Joel|Joel]] and [[Book of Zechariah|Zechariah]], while during Holy Week they are from [[Book of Exodus|Exodus]], [[Book of Ezekiel|Ezekiel]] and [[Book of Job|Job]].

Uniquely, on weekdays of Great Lent there is no public reading of the [[Epistle]]s or [[Gospel]]s. This is because the readings are particular to the divine liturgy, which is not celebrated on weekdays of Great Lent. There are, however, Epistles and Gospels appointed for each Saturday and Sunday.

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===Pre-Lenten period===

Before the forty days of Great Lent commence, there is a three-week Pre-Lenten season, to prepare the faithful for the spiritual work they are to accomplish during the Great Fast. During this period many of the themes which will be developed in the liturgical texts of the forty days are introduced. Each week runs from Monday to Sunday and is named for the Gospel theme of the Sunday which concludes it.

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Fifty years after the death of St Theodore, the emperor [[Julian the Apostate]] (361-363), as a part of his general policy of [[persecution of Christians]], commanded the governor of [[Constantinople]] during the first week of Great Lent to sprinkle all the food provisions in the marketplaces with the blood offered to pagan idols, knowing that the people would be hungry after the strict fasting of the first week. St Theodore appeared in a dream to Archbishop [[Eudoxius of Antioch|Eudoxius]], ordering him to inform all the Christians that no one should buy anything at the marketplaces, but rather to eat cooked wheat with honey (kolyva).

The First Sunday of Great Lent is the [[Feast of Orthodoxy]], which commemorates the restoration of the [[veneration]] of [[icon]]s after the [[iconoclasm|Iconoclast]] controversy, which is considered to be the triumph of the Church over the last of the great [[heresy|heresies]] which troubled her (all later heresies being simply a rehashing of earlier ones). Before the [[Divine Liturgy]] on this day, a special service, known as the "[[Triumph of Orthodoxy]]" is held in [[cathedral]]s and major monasteries, at which the ''[[synodicon]]'' (containing [[anathema]]s against various heresies, and [[encomia]] of those who have held fast to the Christian faith) is proclaimed.

The theme of the day is the victory of the True Faith over heresy. "This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith" ({{bibleverse|1|John|5:4|KJV}}). Also, the icons of the saints bear witness that man, "created in the image and likeness of God" ({{bibleverse||Genesis|1:26|KJV}}), may become holy and [[Theosis (Eastern Orthodox theology)|godlike]] through the purification of himself as God's living image.

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During the Sixth Week the Lenten services are served as they were during the second and third weeks.

Great Lent ends at Vespers on the evening of the Sixth Friday, and the Lenten cycle of Old Testament readings is brought to an end. (Genesis ends with the account of the burial of Joseph, who is a [[Typology (theology)|type]] of Christ).) At that same service, the celebration of [[Lazarus Saturday]] begins. The [[resurrection]] of [[Lazarus of Bethany|Lazarus]] is understood as a foreshadowing of the [[Resurrection of Jesus]], and many of the Resurrection hymns normally chanted on Sunday (and which will be replaced the next day with hymns for Palm Sunday) are chanted at Matins on the morning of Lazarus Saturday.

[[Palm Sunday]] differs from the previous Sundays in that it is one of the [[Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church]]. None of the normal Lenten material is chanted on Palm Sunday, and fish, wine and oil are permitted in the [[Refectory|trapeza]]. The blessing of palms (or pussywillow) takes place at Matins on Sunday morning, and everyone stands holding palms and lit candles during the important moments of the service.

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One meal may be eaten with xerophagy.

During Holy Week, the order of services is often brought forward by several hours: Matins being celebrated by anticipation the evening before, and Vespers in the morning. This "reversal" is not something mandated by the [[typicon]] but has developed out of practical necessity. Since some of the most important readings and liturgical actions take place at Matins, it is celebrated in the evening (rather than early in the morning before dawn, as is usual for Matins) so that more people can attend.

Since during Holy Week Vespers is usually joined to either the Presanctified Liturgy or the Divine Liturgy, and since the faithful must observe a total fast from all food and drink before receiving [[Holy Communion]], it is celebrated in the morning. Vespers on Good Friday is an exception to this, usually being celebrated in late morning or in the afternoon.

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[[Image:TzanesIcon.jpg|thumb|250px|''[[Epitaphios (liturgical)|Epitaphios]]'' (c. 1600, Emmanuel Tzanes Bounialis, [[Cretan School]]).]]

Vespers on Good Friday is usually celebrated after the Royal Hours service,<ref>{{cite news | title=Μεγάλη Παρασκευή: LIVE η λειτουργία του Επιτάφιου |trans-title=Good Friday: LIVE the service of the Epitaph | ~~lang~~language=el |quote=Το πρωί της Μεγάλης Παρασκευής γίνεται ο στολισμός του Επιταφίου στις εκκλησίες. Αρχικά ψάλλονται οι Μεγάλες Ώρες, που περιέχουν ψαλμούς, τροπάρια, Αποστόλους, Ευαγγέλια και Ευχές. |trans-quote=On the morning of Good Friday, the epitaph is decorated in the churches. First, the Great Hours are sung, which contain psalms, tropes, Apostles, Gospels and Blessings.|url=https://www.news247.gr/koinonia/megali-paraskeyi-i-apokathilosi-toy-estayromenoy-kai-o-epitafios.7625284.html |work=News24/7 |date=17 April 2020 |access-date=20 March 2023}}</ref> although in some monasteries it is served in the afternoon.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title= Παρασκευή μεγάλη [Good Friday] |encyclopedia= [[Great Greek Encyclopedia]] |date= |year= |last= |first= |publisher= Phoenix |location= Athens |volume = ΙΘ΄ |page = 664 }}</ref> After the [[Little Entrance]] the Gospel reading is a [[concatenation]] of the [[four Evangelists]]' accounts of the Crucifixion and the [[Descent from the Cross]]. At the point during the reading which mentions [[Joseph of Arimathea]] and [[Nicodemus]], two clergymen approach the large cross in the center of the church, remove the ''soma'', wrap it in a piece of white linen, and carry it into the sanctuary.

Later, during the [[Troparion]], the clergy carry the [[Epitaphios (liturgical)|epitaphios]] (a cloth icon symbolizing the [[winding sheet]] in which Jesus was prepared for burial) into the center of the church, where it is venerated by all the faithful. Special chants and prayers and chanted along with biblical readings and [[psalms]] chanted.

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That night, the Matins of Lamentation is normally celebrated in the evening. At this service, special hymns and prayers are chanted. The Lamentations of Great and Holy Friday are the main chants of the service. The Lamentation Praises are chanted to very movingly beautiful ancient tones and words which reflect the lament of the [[Theotokos]] over her son [[Christ]]. The [[Epitaphios (liturgical)|epitaphios]] is placed on a beautifully ornate and decorate [[catafalque]] or [[bier]] before the Lamentations representing the tomb of Christ.

The priest then sprinkles [[~~Rosewater~~rosewater]] and fresh ~~Rose~~rose petals all over the tomb, the congregation, and the temple/church. A procession with the ornate tomb then takes place around the church and back into the church where it will be venerated by everyone. As more special prayers and chants are sung especially the chant: "The Noble Joseph..." as the service finishes.

====Holy Saturday====

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*[http://lent.goarch.org/ Great Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha in the Greek Orthodox Church]

*[http://www.pravmir.com/article_166.html Great Lent: History, Significance, Meaning]

*[http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/pascha Great Lent and Holy Pascha] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080303041922/http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/pascha/ |date=2008-03-03 }}

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080720134806/http://www.rocor.org.au/news/?p=161 A Homily on Fasting and Dispassion] by St. [[Theodore the Studite]], to be read at the beginning of Great Lent

*[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/billykangas/2014/03/lent.html The Origins of Lent] A study of the early historical development of the fast