Recent Quotes View Full List My Watchlist Create Watchlist Indicators DJI Nasdaq Composite SPX Gold Crude Oil Hydroworld Market Index Markets Stocks ETFs Tools Overview News Currencies International Treasuries 'The Great Lent': Why some Christians will start observing Lent on Monday By: FOXNews.com March 16, 2024 at 09:49 AM EDT Protodeacon Patrick Mitchell, from the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Washington, DC, tells Fox News Digital about Orthodox traditions during Lent. While most of the world's Christians began their observance of Lent this year on Feb. 14, 2024, those whose denominations follow the Julian calendar will observe their first day of Lent on March 18, 2024.These include, but are not limited to, Orthodox Christians, Coptic Christians and some Eastern Catholic churches. The reason for this inconsistency, Protodeacon Patrick Mitchell told Fox News Digital, is due to differences in how the churches calculate the dates of feasts that change each year. EVANGELICAL LEADER STRESSES SACRIFICES OF MARTYRS THIS LENT: ‘BE INSPIRED BY THEM’ Mitchell is protodeacon at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Washington, D.C. There are other differences in how the Orthodox Church observes Lent compared to other denominations, said Mitchell."We begin it on the Monday after ‘Forgiveness Sunday,’" he told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. The Orthodox Church "sort of numbers the days differently" as well, but "they're both approximately the same length: 40 days." The customs surrounding fasting during Lent are also different between faiths, Mitchell said.While Catholics are obliged to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent, Orthodox Christians keep a much stricter fast.MAINE PRIEST, DURING LENT, URGES TAKING TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD'S CONSTANT PRESENCE AMONG US"It is pretty much a general fast from meat and dairy," he said. "Of course, it depends on what people are able to do. I don't think anybody expects children to keep this fast." But, he said, many people do — which makes the celebration at Easter (called "Pascha," which is the Greek word for "Passover") "quite an event." The date of Pascha is a unifying factor of the world's Orthodox churches, said Mitchell.TEXAS PASTOR REMINDS ALL THAT THE CROSS IS PROOF OF GOD'S LOVE FOR HUMANITY"Even though there are many Orthodox churches on the calendar, we all celebrate Pascha on the old calendar," he said. Easter, he said, is "the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox," he said.The church uses the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar — which is used by most of the world. Occasionally, the date of Easter is the same for both calendars. This happened most recently in 2017, and will happen again in 2025. During Lent, Orthodox Christians place a special emphasis on forgiveness and to remain focused on the upcoming Easter. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERLent "often means fasting from a lot of other activities that we might not want to be involved in – just, worldly things," said Mitchell. "We just spend more time in church and spend more time in prayer and read better things than what we might normally do."Additionally, "We try to avoid any unnecessary arguments or controversies during Lent to preserve a more peaceful attitude," he said. "To be more focused on the resurrection, on the love of Christ and, and our salvation." For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle. Related Stocks: Fancamp Exploration Ltd Data & News supplied by www.cloudquote.io Stock quotes supplied by Barchart Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes. By accessing this page, you agree to the following Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.
'The Great Lent': Why some Christians will start observing Lent on Monday By: FOXNews.com March 16, 2024 at 09:49 AM EDT Protodeacon Patrick Mitchell, from the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Washington, DC, tells Fox News Digital about Orthodox traditions during Lent. While most of the world's Christians began their observance of Lent this year on Feb. 14, 2024, those whose denominations follow the Julian calendar will observe their first day of Lent on March 18, 2024.These include, but are not limited to, Orthodox Christians, Coptic Christians and some Eastern Catholic churches. The reason for this inconsistency, Protodeacon Patrick Mitchell told Fox News Digital, is due to differences in how the churches calculate the dates of feasts that change each year. EVANGELICAL LEADER STRESSES SACRIFICES OF MARTYRS THIS LENT: ‘BE INSPIRED BY THEM’ Mitchell is protodeacon at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Washington, D.C. There are other differences in how the Orthodox Church observes Lent compared to other denominations, said Mitchell."We begin it on the Monday after ‘Forgiveness Sunday,’" he told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. The Orthodox Church "sort of numbers the days differently" as well, but "they're both approximately the same length: 40 days." The customs surrounding fasting during Lent are also different between faiths, Mitchell said.While Catholics are obliged to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent, Orthodox Christians keep a much stricter fast.MAINE PRIEST, DURING LENT, URGES TAKING TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD'S CONSTANT PRESENCE AMONG US"It is pretty much a general fast from meat and dairy," he said. "Of course, it depends on what people are able to do. I don't think anybody expects children to keep this fast." But, he said, many people do — which makes the celebration at Easter (called "Pascha," which is the Greek word for "Passover") "quite an event." The date of Pascha is a unifying factor of the world's Orthodox churches, said Mitchell.TEXAS PASTOR REMINDS ALL THAT THE CROSS IS PROOF OF GOD'S LOVE FOR HUMANITY"Even though there are many Orthodox churches on the calendar, we all celebrate Pascha on the old calendar," he said. Easter, he said, is "the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox," he said.The church uses the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar — which is used by most of the world. Occasionally, the date of Easter is the same for both calendars. This happened most recently in 2017, and will happen again in 2025. During Lent, Orthodox Christians place a special emphasis on forgiveness and to remain focused on the upcoming Easter. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERLent "often means fasting from a lot of other activities that we might not want to be involved in – just, worldly things," said Mitchell. "We just spend more time in church and spend more time in prayer and read better things than what we might normally do."Additionally, "We try to avoid any unnecessary arguments or controversies during Lent to preserve a more peaceful attitude," he said. "To be more focused on the resurrection, on the love of Christ and, and our salvation." For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle. Related Stocks: Fancamp Exploration Ltd