What is Lent?

Lent is a Christian observance centered around the persecution, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.  It begins on Ash Wednesday which is February 22nd this year, and ends 46 days later on the day before Easter.  Lent is a time of preparation through prayer, reflection, atonement, and self-denial.  It is observed across Protestant, Catholic, and other religions.  The height of the observance is Holy Week, which marks the death and burial of Christ, and culminates with the celebration on Easter Sunday with His Resurrection.

Join us at Highlawn as we celebrate our risen Savior with special music, sermons and services!

Lenten Celebrations

Lent lasts 40 days (not including Sundays) and represents the 40 days Jesus spend fasting in the wilderness.   This year, it takes place from Wednesday, February 22nd (Ash Wednesday) to Thursday, April 6th (Maundy Thursday).  Holy Week is the week leading up to Easter (April 2nd – April 8th).  The following explains the various observances and celebrations during Lent observed by the Christian Church.  

Ash Wednesday: Marks the beginning of Lent and is always 46 days before Easter Sunday.  Its intent is to help the believer focus on repentance and prayer.   

Palm Sunday: Falls on the Sunday before Easter and commemorates Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

Maundy Thursday: Commemorates the Last Supper Jesus held with the Apostles in the Upper Room.

Good Friday: Commemorates Jesus’s crucifixion and death for our sins, as He became the last living sacrifice.

Easter Sunday: The culmination of Holy Week and the celebration of the Jesus’s resurrection from the dead and His victory over sin and death.