Why does lent change each year

Saturday, April 15, Wednesday, February 14, Saturday, March 31, Wednesday, March 6, Saturday, April 20, Wednesday, February 26, Saturday, April 11, Wednesday, February 17, Saturday, April 3, Wednesday, March 2, Saturday, April 16, Wednesday, February 22, Saturday, April 8, The entire Lenten season comes to a close on Saturday, April 3.

The varied dates from year to year can leave many people wondering why Easter changes dates instead of remaining the same. Most Christians know Ash Wednesday's date depends on Easter, but wouldn't it be much simpler and easier to remember if Jesus Christ's resurrection were celebrated on a set day, the way holidays like Christmas and Valentine's Day are observed?

Here's a look at why that's not the case. Ash Wednesday signals the period of 40 days before Easter, called Lent, when observants typically "give up" some earthly pleasure wine, chocolate as a form of penance. But what does Ash Wednesday mean? The holiday stems from the Old Testament book of Daniel that associated fasting with ashes , according to priest and Duke Divinity School assistant professor Lauren F.

Its main ritual involves a priest invoking Genesis "for you are dust, and to dust you shall return" while anointing congregants' foreheads with a mix of ash from Palm Sunday—itself derived from the story of Christ's route to Jerusalem being padded by palm fronds—and sometimes oil. Lent is an acknowledgment of the 40 days the Bible says Christ spent in the wilderness. This is everything you need to know about Lent , including what it signifies, when it begins and how long it lasts.

Lent is a period of reflection and preparation in the run up to Easter — it always begins on Ash Wednesda y, which this year fell on 26 February. The period is marked by fasting from both food and festivities. Many people give something up during Lent as a sign of sacrifice, alongside testing their self-discipline. Shrove Tuesday, which took place on 25 February this year, is the day before Ash Wednesday, and is marked by feasting and celebration.

Read more: When is Easter ? Full holiday dates, and why it changes from year to year. Password Please enter a valid password. Submit Submit. By Tom Herbert. T his week marks the start of Lent , a period of abstaining from food and luxuries in the run-up to Easter.

With Lent falling this week, here's all you need to know about the religious observance. Since Lent is held after Shrove Tuesday, the date will change depending on when Easter will be. It always begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for 40 days and 40 nights until Holy Thursday.