Great Lent: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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'''Great Lent''', or the '''Great Fast''', ([[Greek Language|Greek]]: Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, 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 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 and 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. According to Byzantine Rite [[theology]], when asceticism is increased, prayer must be increased also. The [[Church Fathers]] have referred to fasting without prayer as "the fast of the demons" since the demons do not eat according to their incorporeal nature, but neither do they pray.

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Great Lent is unique in that, liturgically, the weeks do not run from Sunday to Saturday, but rather begin on Monday and end on Sunday, and most weeks are named for the lesson from the Gospel which will be read at the Divine Liturgy on its concluding Sunday. This is to illustrate that the entire season is anticipatory, leading up to the greatest Sunday of all: Pascha.

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~~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 ~~commences~~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#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> Canon at Matins reference the more ancient commemoration, (the Prodigal Son, Good Samaritan, and the Rich Man and Lazarus respectively). ~~In addition, during~~

During Palm Week, (between the Sunday of St Mary of Egypt and Lazarus Saturday), the 1<sup>st</sup> 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: 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]

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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~~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.

====Prayer for the dead====

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Since the season of Great Lent is moveable, beginning on different dates from year to year, accommodation must be made for various feast days on the [[Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar|fixed calendar]] ([[Menaion]]) which occur during the season. When these feasts fall on a weekday of Great Lent, the normal Lenten aspect of the services is lessened to celebrate the solemnity.

The most important of these fixed feasts is the [[Great Feast]] of the [[Annunciation]] (March 25), which is considered to be so important that it is never moved, even if it should fall on the Sunday of Pascha itself, (a rare and special occurrence which is known as ''[[Kyrio-Pascha]]''). The fast is also lessened, and the faithful are allowed to eat fish, (unless it is Good Friday or Holy Saturday). Whereas on other weekdays of Great Lent, no celebration of the Divine Liturgy is permitted, there is a Liturgy (usually the [[Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom|Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom]]) celebrated on Annunciation—even if it falls on [[Good Friday]].

When the [[feast day]] of the [[patron saint]] of the [[parish church]] or [[monastery]] falls on a weekday of Great Lent, there is no liturgy (other than the Presanctified), but fish is allowed at the meal. In some churches the feast of a patron saint is moved to the nearest Saturday (excluding the Saturday of the Akathist), and in other churches, it is celebrated on the day of the feast itself.

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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.

The First Sunday of Great Lent originally commemorated the [[Prophet]]s such as [[Moses]], [[Aaron]], and [[Samuel (Bible)|Samuel]]. The Liturgy's [[Prokeimenon]] and [[alleluia]] verses as well as the [[Epistle]] (Hebrews 11:24-26,32-40) and [[Gospel]] ({{bibleverse||John|1:43-51|KJV}}) readings appointed for the day continue to reflect this older usage.

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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).

The Matins services for Holy Monday through Thursday are referred to as "Bridegroom Prayer" because the [[troparion]] of the day and the [[exapostilarion]] (the hymn that concludes the [[Canon (hymnography)|Canon]]) develop the theme of "Christ the Bridegroom". (Thursday has its own troparion, but uses the same exapostilarion). The [[icon]] often displayed on these days depicts Jesus and is referred to as "the Bridegroom" because the [[crown of thorns]] and the [[robe]] of mockery are parallel to the crown and robe worn by a bridegroom on his wedding day.

This icon is often confused with the visually similar icon of Christ as the [[Man of Sorrows]], which shows Him post-Crucifixion in the same pose but lacking the rod and robe, dead, showing the marks of the nails in his Hands and the spear wound in His side. Incidentally, Thursday has its own icon showing either the [[Mystical Supper]] or the [[Washing of Feet]], or both. The Passion of Christ is seen as the [[wedding]] of the Saviour with his bride, the Church.

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'''Holy and Great Friday''' is observed as a strict fast day, on which the faithful who are physically able to should not eat anything at all. Some even fast from water, at least until after the Vespers service that evening.

The Matins service, (usually celebrated Thursday night), is officially entitled, "The Office of the Holy and Redeeming Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ",.<ref>Bishop Kallistos, ''op. cit.'', p. 565</ref> ~~and~~It is commonly known as the "Matins of the Twelve Gospels", because interspersed throughout the service are twelve Gospel readings which recount the entire [[Passion (Christianity)|Passion of Christ]] from the [[Last Supper]] to the sealing of the [[Holy Sepulchre|tomb]]. Before the Sixth Gospel ({{bibleverse||Mark|15:16-32|KJV}}) which first mentions the [[Crucifixion]], the priest carries a large cross into the center of the church, where it is set upright and all the faithful come forward to venerate it. The cross has attached to it a large [[icon]] of the ''soma'' (the crucified body of Christ).

At the beginning of each Gospel, the bell is rung according to the number of the Gospel (once for the first Gospel, two for the second, etc.). As each Gospel is read the faithful stand holding lighted candles, which are extinguished at the end of each reading. After the twelfth Gospel, the faithful do not extinguish their candles but leave them lit and carry the flame to their homes as a blessing. There, they will often use the flame to light the [[lampada]] in their [[icon corner]].