Lent is traditionally a 40‑day period of prayer, fasting, and repentance leading up to Easter, but on the calendar it actually spans about 44–46 days , depending on how you count.

Quick Scoop: How long is Lent?

  • In Western Christianity, Lent is said to last 40 days , mirroring the 40 days Jesus fasted in the wilderness.
  • Those 40 days are usually counted from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday , excluding Sundays.
  • If you include Sundays in the date range, the season stretches to about 46 calendar days (Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday).
  • Many Catholic sources describe Lent as running from Ash Wednesday until the evening of Holy Thursday , while some other traditions count it through Holy Saturday.

Example (2026)

  • In 2026, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18 , and ends with the evening Mass of Holy Thursday, April 2 , in the Catholic reckoning.
  • That span is 46 calendar days , but liturgically counted as 40 days because the six Sundays are not included in the fasting count.

TL;DR: When people ask “how long is Lent,” the usual answer is 40 days , but on the actual calendar it covers about six and a half weeks from Ash Wednesday to just before Easter.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.