Today marks the start of Great Lent period

March 3 marks the opening of the Great Lent season this year.

The period, which follows the Carnival, normally lasts 48 days - until the eve of Easter or the Resurrection of Christ that will be celebrated on April 20 this year, reports Qahana.am.

The Great Lent period requires using solely vegetarian food.

It’s a time that obliges Christians to not only give up certain types of food but also drop bad habits, such as talkativeness, cheating, use of foul language etc.

Fasting without abandoning sins is believed to be useless. Jesus Chist’s precept about fasting is, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Mat 6:16-18)

The forty days of Lent symbolize the period of Christ’s prayers, fasting and repentance. The last eight days mark the Holy Week. The Great Lent period thus comprises seven weeks, with the Sundays marking seven different feasts: the Carnival, the Sunday of Expulsion, the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, the Parable of the Unjust Steward, the Parable of the Unjust Judge, the Advent Sunday and the Palm Sunday.

The Maidan Day of Great Lent (Mijink) will be celebrated on March 26 this year. It symbolizes the first half of the Great Lent. According to the folk tradition, housewives bake cake with a coin inside on this day. The year will be successful for the one who has the coin in his or her portion.