Lexington Park, MD – Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the prelude to Easter. The latter observance is held the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon and that determines when Ash Wednesday occurs.

It’s possible to be a good person, a good Christian and still not know all the aspects of Lent. A little research has revealed to a lot of perennial questions.
An online publication called The Healthy Fish posted an article in 2015 that addressed some of the culinary aspects of the Lenten observance—that is, the restriction of what and when an observer may eat. What you may not know is Lent is not mentioned in the Bible, Lent didn’t become a widespread observance until the Fourth Century and Roman Catholics only must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays. The Healthy Fish Team also analyzed why fish isn’t considered “meat” and is okay to consume on Fridays during Lent. For one thing, fish wasn’t considered a luxury during Biblical times. Also, “fish are cold-blooded creatures that differ from man, beast and birds.”

The “fasting” that is required on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday is technically not fasting, since that term means to abstain from all food and water. However, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, observers are allowed one full meal or two smaller ones.

In 2017, Daily Beast writer Candida Moss compiled some of the common Lenten myths. At the top of the list is that not all Christian denominations observe Lent. The ones that do include Roman Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Lutherans and Eastern Orthodox Christians. On the other hand, Moss reported that Baptists, Evangelicals, Pentecostalists and Latter Day Saints are non-observers.

Another myth is that Lent is all about the death of Jesus. In fact, it’s a period of preparation in which Christians remember the life of Jesus through prayer and penance. Lent does not last for 40 days—it’s 46 days. Lent does not end on Easter Sunday; it ends on Good Friday.

The grand feast of St. Patrick’s Day always occurs during lent. When March 17 falls on a Friday it creates a conflict with the traditional consumption of corned beef. In 2017—the last time St. Patrick’s Day fell on a Friday, over 80 Roman Catholic diocese in the United States declared eating corned beef was OK that day. The good news—especially for Irish-American Catholics—is that this year, March 17 is a Sunday.

There doesn’t appear to be any protocol for a greeting today, so to all Lenten observers, have a great and happy Ash Wednesday!

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com