Living Lent in a Holy Year

Lent, a period of forty days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, is a high point in the Christian liturgical calendar. When it coincides with a Holy Year, it takes on an even deeper dimension, marked by the invitation to forgiveness, conversion and spiritual renewal. It is a unique opportunity to intensify one's faith and to welcome divine mercy.

What is Lent and why is it important?

Origin and meaning

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. It commemorates the forty days Jesus spent in the desert, where he fasted and resisted the temptations of the devil. This period invites every Christian to follow this example, through a life of sobriety and prayer.

The essential practices of Lent

• Fasting: A practice of deprivation aimed at refocusing one's heart on God.
• Prayer: A time to get closer to the Lord and deepen one's faith. Discover our special Lent prayer book.
• Almsgiving: A gesture of charity towards the most deprived.
• Forgiveness: Reconciliation with God and one's neighbour by asking for and offering forgiveness.

Why is Lent special in a Holy Year?

A Holy Year is an exceptional period in the Catholic Church, generally proclaimed by the Pope every 25 years or on the occasion of special events. It is synonymous with grace, reconciliation and plenary indulgence for the faithful who take certain spiritual steps.

During a Holy Year, Lent is an ideal opportunity to pass through a holy door, receive the sacraments and get closer to Christ's message of love and mercy.

How can you fully experience Lent in a Holy Year?

Participate in the sacraments

Confessing one's sins and receiving the Eucharist are essential means of purifying one's soul and drawing closer to God. The Holy Year is particularly marked by the invitation to experience these sacraments more frequently.

Meditate on the Word of God

Reading the Bible and meditating on the teachings of Christ nourish the spirit and guide actions towards good. You can follow a programme of Bible readings specially designed for Lent.

Performing works of mercy

Visiting the sick, helping those in distress and praying for the souls in purgatory are all recommended acts during Lent.

The special features of Lent in a Holy Year

In this Holy Year, Lent takes on an even more significant dimension. The Church encourages the faithful to undertake deeper steps of faith, particularly through pilgrimages and specific indulgences.

Recommended pilgrimages

During the Holy Year, pilgrimages to holy places are strongly encouraged. Catholics are invited to go to:

• Rome, to pass through the Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica.
• Marian shrines such as Lourdes or Fatima.
• In Jerusalem, in the footsteps of Christ.

These pilgrimages are an opportunity for spiritual purification and allow pilgrims to obtain indulgences.

Specific indulgences

The Holy Year is a special time when the Church grants plenary indulgences to the faithful who perform certain acts of faith. To benefit from them, you must:

• Go through a Holy Door.
• Go to confession and receive communion.
• Pray for the Pope's intentions.
• Perform a work of charity or mercy.

Prayer for a fruitful Lenten period in the Holy Year

Almighty Lord, in this Holy Year, help me to live Lent to the full.

Teach me to fast with humility, to pray with fervour and to give with generosity.

Open my heart to your grace and lead me on the path of conversion and reconciliation.

Help me to forgive those who have offended me, to reach out to the most deprived and to commit myself every day to the love of my neighbour.

Lord, increase in me faith, hope and charity, so that I may reflect your light in this world.

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.