Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-28
BEGINNING oFLEnr.
ONE OF THE OLDEST CHRISTIAN
CUSTOMS.


To-day is Ash Wednesday, the begin
ming of Lent.
1t is sacred season OF venerable an
tfquity and whether it was observed by
the Apostles as fixed period of fast
ing or was not established until the or
ganization of the church, all authori-
ties agree in saying that for time at
least before the anniversary of the
resurrection of Christ a fast was OBJ
served by the primitive Christians; and
IL Is. the general concensus of modern
opinion that this fast of forty days was
practically the ancient type OF the
modern laws.
In st. Luke v, 35. Christ said: but
the days will come when the bride
groom shall be taken away from them,
ana then shall they fast in those days"
This was taken by the early Christians
to mean that there should be q period
oil self-denial and fasting before the
events leading up to His Passion and
Crucifixion were commemoratcd.
Even II Lent was not n long season of
tasting among the primitive Christians.
1t soon-became SO, and there are &c,
clesiastical records to show thar prior
TO the Fourth century the Lenten
season was generally fixed at forty days
ana this period preceded the festival
OF the Resurrection or Easter. The
custom has lasted then for at least l.
400 years, practically as 1t Is to-day
The Roman ecclesiastical name for
Lent is Jejunium Quadragcsimale, the
FAST OF forty days" The English word
Lent is from the Anglo-SaXon word
Lencten, meaning Spring, with refer
ence' to the season in which it occurs
The manner of observing Lent during
the first seven centuries of the Chris
tian era varied, yet 1T is also true that
very strict laws for its observance were
enacted. and Charlemagne, when he
conquered SaXony. went to the length
OF ordering that a Saxon should be IL
able to death If he wantonly disregard
ed the prescribed observances of the
holy season.
1t has always been the general opin-
lon that the early and finally the pre-
vailtng idea of fixing the Lenten period
at forty days grew out OF the forty
day periods in the Bible.
Jonah. In his denunciation. gave
Nirevah forty days of grace. Moses
and Elijah were forty days in the will
derness. Christ tasted and underwent
temptation for forty days. So it was
natural that a great commemorative
and penitential observance like Lent
should by general and gradual consent
and custom fix itself upon a period OF
forty days.
successive edicts of the Church mold
cd Lent into Its present form over 900
years ago. and since then 1t has re-
m7ined practically unaltered
Many Professionals voluntarily observe
Lent with prayer and penitence and
fcasting.
In the Roman Catholic Church. the
Greek Church the Anglican Church and
the Episcopal Church, in this country,
which is one in doctrine with the An
giican, or English Church, the observ-
ance of Lent is obligatory
tcfr 80
Sunday with Ella borate services of sons
has been greatly amplified in the Ro-
man Catholic and Episcopal churches
within the past few years. and nearly
all the Protestant denominations, par
ticularly in the cities, have begun to
take nntice- of the day
Ash Wednesday, falling on February
2Sth this year. makes Palm Sunday
April s. Good Friday, April 10 and Eas-
ter Sunday April 18th.