Lent is a forty day period that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends during Easter week. During this time, Christians will test their self-discipline by giving up habits or tastes that they usually enjoy. Many people choose to avoid unhealthy habits such as eating sweets, playing on the computer, or eating meat on Fridays. 
            By giving up habits when enjoy, we show God our devotion to our Christian life. By giving up a few of the things that we enjoy the most and spending more time in prayer, we are showing God that we want to put Him first in our lives.

According to senior theology teacher Mr. Doerr, “Lent is a time of preparation for the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection and a time in which we devote ourselves to prayer and fasting in imitation of the preparation Christ made when He prayed and fasted in the desert before beginning His public ministry.” Lent is also a time when we find our way closer to God.

On Ash Wednesday, Christians go to church. They receive a cross made of ash on their foreheads which symbolizes their sorrow to God for anything they have done wrong.

Some cities throughout the world hold festivals in the streets. For example, New Orleans has Mardi Gras, and Rio de Janeiro and Venice hold their Carnival celebrations each year.