Armenian churches start Lent period today

This year, the Armenian Apostolic Church begins the Lent period on February 11.

The solemn observance traditionally starts after the Carnival Day and lasts until the Easter Sunday which, in the 2013 church calendar, coincides with March 31, the Ararat Patriarchal Diocese says in a statement.

Those observing the Lent use commit themselves to using purely vegetarian food.

The period also requires giving up other dishes as well as bad habits, such as talkativeness, cheating, foul language etc.