EVERYBODY TO KEEP LENT
Support A1+!On February 7 the Lent starts. It lasts 48 days, from the Main Barekendan till the Holy Resurrection or Easter. This year the Holy Resurrection will be celebrated on March 27.
During the Lent food of exceptionally vegetable origin is used. But people must renounce not only particular kinds of food, but also bad habits, such as talkativeness, lying, swearing, and other sins. Renouncing food without renouncing sins is useless. «The devil never eats nor drinks but is never tired of sinning», says St Grigor Tatevatsi.
The 40 days of Lent symbolize the 40 days of Christ in the desert. The Lent is followed by another weak of fast – the Holy Week. That is the reason why the 40-day fast lasts 48 days.
The March 2 is the middle day of the Lent. According to the national custom, that the housewives make gata (Armenian cake) in which they put a coin. According to national belief, he who gets the coin will be successful.
From time immemorial the weddings were forbidden during the Lent. But the late Catholicos of All Armenians Vazgen I allowed weddings on the Saturdays and Sundays of the Lent except for the Holy Week.
