Here are some notes from Pr. Pless about the history of Lent. (Find all his church year notes here.)
LENT: History
- The word “Lent” comes from an old English word for “spring.” The origins of Lent are far from uniform.
- Late in the 2nd century, Irenaeus makes reference to people fasting before the Pascha for one or two days.
- Prior to Nicea, there is no record of a forty day fast prior to Easter. However only a few years after the Council, we find such a fast being observed on a nearly universal basis. The earliest direct evidence for what we have come to know as Lent is found in the second festal letter of Athanasius written in 330. From Athanasius’ letters, we observe several items:
- (1) The older paschal fast of six days (Holy Week) comprises the final week of the fast of forty days
- (2) The actual number of fast days in Lent was 31 as Saturdays –except for Holy Saturday-and Sundays were not reckoned as days of fasting
- (3) While Athanasius makes reference to quadragesimal fast, he does not link this to the 40 days of Jesus’ fasting
- (4) The letters do not indicate that the fast had any connection to baptism
- (5) Athanasius gives an indication that this fast was not popular.
- Egeria reports that Lent lasted for eight weeks in Jerusalem.
- Socrates, a fifth-century Byzantine church historian observes the varied practices of Lent: “The
fasts before Easter will be found to be differently observed among different people. Those at Rome fast three successive weeks before Easter, excepting Saturdays and Sundays. Those in Illyrica and all over Greece and Alexandria observe a fast of six weeks, which they term “the forty days’ fast’ (tessarakoste ). Others commencing their fast from the seventh week before Easter, and fasting three-five days only, and that at intervals, yet call that time ‘the forty days’ fast.’ It is indeed surprising to me that thus differing in the number of days, they should both give it one common appellation; but some assign one reason for it, and others another, according to their several fancies” (Talley, 165-166). - By 384 (and possibly as early as 354), the preparation for the Pascha was composed of 40 consecutive days of fasting and was called the Quadragesima. This season commenced on what is now the first Sunday in Lent (Matthew 4:1—11) and concluded on Maundy Thursday. The Holy Triduum (Good Friday-Easter Sunday) was not considered as part of Lent.
(I think I got a B in that class. If you like this stuff, you’ll love these notes.)
