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While a lot of the world’s Christians started their observance of Lent this yr on Feb. 14, 2024, these whose denominations comply with the Julian calendar will observe their first day of Lent on March 18, 2024.
These embrace, however aren’t restricted to, Orthodox Christians, Coptic Christians and some Eastern Catholic church buildings.
The motive for this inconsistency, Protodeacon Patrick Mitchell informed Fox News Digital, is because of variations in how the church buildings calculate the dates of feasts that change every year.
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Mitchell is protodeacon on the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Washington, D.C.
There are different variations in how the Orthodox Church observes Lent in comparison with different denominations, stated Mitchell.
Protodeacon Patrick Mitchell, from the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Washington, D.C., informed Fox News Digital why Orthodox Christians (often) have a distinct date for Easter than different Christians. (Courtesy of Brian Patrick Mitchell/iStock)
“We begin it on the Monday after ‘Forgiveness Sunday,’” he informed Fox News Digital in a telephone interview.
The Orthodox Church “sort of numbers the days differently” as effectively, however “they’re both approximately the same length: 40 days.”
The customs surrounding fasting throughout Lent are additionally completely different between faiths, Mitchell stated.
While Catholics are obliged to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays throughout Lent, Orthodox Christians maintain a a lot stricter quick.
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“It is pretty much a general fast from meat and dairy,” he stated. “Of course, it depends on what people are able to do. I don’t think anybody expects children to keep this fast.”
But, he stated, many individuals do — which makes the celebration at Easter (known as “Pascha,” which is the Greek phrase for “Passover”) “quite an event.”
In Orthodoxy, it’s custom to quick from all animal merchandise throughout Lent. (iStock)
The date of Pascha is a unifying issue of the world’s Orthodox church buildings, stated Mitchell.
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“Even although there are lots of Orthodox church buildings on the calendar, all of us have a good time Pascha on the previous calendar,” he stated.
There are greater than 200 million Orthodox Christians around the globe. (iStock, courtesy of consumer Tsyb Oleg)
Easter, he stated, is “the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox,” he stated.
The church makes use of the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar — which is utilized by a lot of the world.
Occasionally, the date of Easter is similar for each calendars. This occurred most not too long ago in 2017, and will occur once more in 2025.
During Lent, Orthodox Christians place a particular emphasis on forgiveness and to stay targeted on the upcoming Easter.
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Lent “often means fasting from a lot of other activities that we might not want to be involved in – just, worldly things,” stated Mitchell.
“We just spend more time in church and spend more time in prayer and read better things than what we might normally do.”
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Additionally, “We try to avoid any unnecessary arguments or controversies during Lent to preserve a more peaceful attitude,” he stated.
“To be more focused on the resurrection, on the love of Christ and, and our salvation.”
For extra Lifestyle articles, go to www.foxnews.com/way of life.
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