how long is lent for

Lent is traditionally 40 days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, but on the calendar it actually stretches over about six and a half weeks.

Quick Scoop

• In most Western Christian churches, Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on the evening of Holy Thursday (the start of the Easter Triduum).
• The “40 days” count usually excludes Sundays , because Sundays are considered weekly celebrations of the Resurrection rather than fast days.

• If you count every calendar day from Ash Wednesday up to Easter (including Sundays), you get about 46 days , but only 40 of those are counted as Lenten fast days.

So in practice:

• Spiritually: Lent = 40 days of penance (not counting Sundays).
• On the calendar: Lent runs for roughly 6 weeks from Ash Wednesday to just before Easter.