The 44 Days of Lent ?   "Fat Sundays"?

For many Christians, Lent begins today, Ash Wednesday, and ends on Holy Thursday, April 17. If you're counting, that's 44 days, not 40. What gives?

Until the fourth century, Lent traditionally began on the Sunday AFTER Ash Wednesday. Starting on Sunday made the count exactly 40 days to Holy Thursday, or 42 days to Holy Saturday -- which some churches used as their end of Lent.

In 601 A.D., the Church moved the beginning of Lent to Ash Wednesday and removed the six Sundays of Lent from the 40 day count by making them feast days. We might call them "FAT SUNDAYS" -- the six times during the Lenten season when you could break whatever fast or act of penance you had undertaken.

Celebrating "Fat Sundays" during Lent

Whether it's 40, 44, or 46, the point of Lent is the same -- to prepare for and honor Christ's sacrifice by making a few of our own. But on "Fat Sunday" we rest from focusing on ourselves so that we might Sabbath and worship the God of Grace.

A "Fat Sunday" in Lent could preach and teach the Parable of the Prodigal Son with its emphasis on forgiveness rather than penalty, God's party rather than punishment. It could be celebrated with Communion and a "Prodigals Welcome Home" meal after worship. And as we leave the Father's party, we too could be called to "come to our senses" about who we need to reconcile with (Luke 15:17).

A "Fat Sunday" could preach and teach the Parable of the Lost Sheep which also ends in a party!

Note: Not all Christian churches observe a formal "Lent," but all believe in confession and spiritual preparation which is the essence of Lent. While some Christians and traditions aren't fond of things "not found in the Bible" --as some say of Lent, the practice of Lent is very much found in the Bible. It's "40 days" symbolism comes directly from various Bible stories, including the deluge, the wandering, and of course, Jesus' wilderness experience -- among others. Even the idea behind "Fat Sunday" comes from scripture itself -- the creation of the Sabbath on the 7th day. The traditions of Lent grew up in the Church to help a largely illiterate world learn the Bible and practice faith. For the same reasons, creative Christians invented Advent, Christmas, and Easter. In an ever-changing and challenging world. the Spirit continues to move us to celebrate and contemplate what it means to be a disciple.

For many years at Rotation.org, we've been collecting and creating great ideas for teaching and celebrating Lent and the stories of Lent. Here's a menu link to begin your search:

Lent 2025 Lessons and Great Ideas

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