New 2018 is coming soon. A grandiose event awaits all Orthodox believers in April - the celebration of the Bright Resurrection of Christ or Easter. It will be preceded by no less significant - Great Lent.
Lent dates back to ancient times. But in its final form, it was enshrined in church rules only in the 4th century AD. Then it was accepted that Great Lent lasts 40 days. It is a preparation for the main holiday for all Christians - Easter. During these seven weeks, a person must go through the process of spiritual cleansing and deliverance from sins and bad thoughts and motives. All of this is accomplished by restricting food intake and spending a lot of time in prayer and humility. During Great Lent, you need to control your emotions and anger, give people goodness and joy.
Observance of Great Lent requires special training. A person, in order to go through the entire path of spiritual purification, must understand the essence of this great sacrament. First, during this time the spirit rules over the flesh. That is, you need to be above your desires and strictly observe all restrictions on food intake. And also give up your own weaknesses and cultivate willpower. He treats all people around him with special tolerance and never hold resentment and evil on them. At the same time, it is important to completely stop drinking alcohol and smoking. A person who can understand these basic principles of Great Lent will easily go all this long way.
Before Great Lent, believers prepare for it for four weeks. This is the so-called preparatory post. Its each week has a certain connection with various events from the Bible. In the first week, believers think about the true and ostentatious things in our lives. Second week of the Prodigal Son. The third week is about the Last Judgment or meat-based, and the fourth is cheese-based or Pancake week. This whole process of preparation for Great Lent obliges you to observe time restrictions on the intake of certain foods on certain days.
In the final week of the preparatory post, Maslenitsa is celebrated. Thus, believers set themselves up for a long time of spiritual and nutritional modesty. On Shrovetide, massive and loud celebrations are held, accompanied by culinary excesses. Forgiveness is held on Sunday of Shrovetide week. All people ask each other for forgiveness for their misdeeds. And then from Monday comes the time of Great Lent.
In 2018, Lent will begin on February 19 and will last until April 7. Not every person can walk this path in compliance with all the rules, but this should be strived for.
