For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.

The sacrifice, the death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, has a deep meaning. And the period before His crucifixion remembrance is called Lent. We Armenians call the Lent period also the Great Lent (the original Armenian word means “Great Fast”). For centuries, Lent has been important for numerous Christians, who realize the purpose of this period. It’s a period during which we start to humble ourselves before God. It’s a period when we should think about and value what Christ did for us on the cross.

For many Christians, Lent is a time where they make space to pray, read the Bible and reflect on God’s love. Many Christians help each other to keep their focus more on prayers, Bible reading and also encouraging each other in their faith journey.

In the Armenian Christian Tradition, the Great Lent consists of 7 Sundays: Eve of Great Lent, Sunday of Expulsion, Sunday of the Lost (Prodigal) Son, Sunday of the Steward, Sunday of the Judge, Sunday of Advent and Palm Sunday. Some churches have special Bible readings and sermons on these Sundays.

At the end of Lent is the Holy Week, which is the week leading up to the Easter, and is the week during which Christians remember the last week of Jesus’s life. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, which commemorates Christ’s triumphant arrival in Jerusalem. Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter on which Christians remember the Last Supper. In all Armenian churches we have Holy Communion on this Thursday. Good Friday is the day on which Christians remember Jesus’ crucifixion and burial.

Apart from church traditions, Lent is also a very personal spiritual journey. It is a period of sincerity, self-recognition, and reflection. It is important for Christians to develop a communion with God through prayer. We communicate with God, expressing our love, asking for forgiveness, and demonstrating a sincere heart which is acceptable to God.

So let us think how to spend the Lent period according to the Word of God, and let us try to humble ourselves toward God and remind ourselves of the real meaning of Christ’s sacrifice.

By Artur Ispiryan, Bible League International staff, Armenia