Lent

===Roman Catholic Church ===
Since 1970, in the [[Roman Rite]] Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on the evening of [[Maundy Thursday|Holy Thursday]] with the [[Mass of the Lord's Supper]]. This comprises a period of 44 days. Historically, the fasting and abstinence were enjoined during the weekdays of Lent and with Sundays being days of abstinence;<ref name="WJW"/> the obligations of the Lenten fast continue through Good Friday and Holy Saturday, totaling 40 days (with the [[Eucharistic Fast]] applying as well).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Philippart |first1=David |title=If Lent is 40 days, why are there 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter? |url=http://www.uscatholic.org/node/425 |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228022920/http://www.uscatholic.org/node/425 |archive-date=28 February 2020 |website=[[Claretians#Publications|U.S. Catholic]] |date=27 June 2013 |publisher=The Claretians |access-date=March 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholic.org/lent/faq.php|title=FAQs About Lent - Easter / Lent|first=Catholic|last=Online|website=Catholic Online}}</ref> Although Lent formally ends on Holy Thursday, Lenten fasting practices continue until the Easter Vigil and additionally, the celebration of Easter is preceded by the Paschal fast.<ref name="EWTN2"/><ref name="vatican.va">{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html|title=Sacrosanctum concilium|access-date=17 April 2017}}</ref>

In the [[Ambrosian Rite]], Lent begins on the Sunday that follows what is celebrated as Ash Wednesday in the rest of the [[Latin Church|Latin Catholic Church]], and ends as in the Roman Rite, thus being of 40 days, counting the Sundays but not Holy Thursday. The day for beginning the Lenten fast in the Ambrosian Rite is the Monday after Ash Wednesday. The special Ash Wednesday fast is transferred to the first Friday of the Ambrosian Lent. Until this rite was revised by Saint [[Charles Borromeo]], the liturgy of the First Sunday of Lent was festive, celebrated in white [[vestment]]s with chanting of the [[Gloria in Excelsis]] and [[Alleluia (chant)|Alleluia]], in line with the recommendation in Matthew 6:16, "When you fast, do not look gloomy."<ref name=Thouret>{{cite web |url=http://www.adorazioneeucaristica.it/S.%20Ambrogio/Quaresima%20rito%20Ambrosiano.pdf |publisher=Parrocchia S. Giovanna Antida Thouret |language=it |access-date=9 June 2014 |title=Il Tempo di Quaresima nel rito Ambrosiano |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714212552/http://www.adorazioneeucaristica.it/S.%20Ambrogio/Quaresima%20rito%20Ambrosiano.pdf |archive-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="RC-en-lent-duration">{{cite CE1913 |last=Herbert |first=Thurston |wstitle=Lent |volume=9}} See paragraph: Duration of the Fast</ref><ref name=Initii>The "Secret of the Mass" in the First Sunday of Lent – "''Sacrificium Quadragesimalis Initii''", Missale Romanum Ambrosianus</ref>

During Lent, the Church discourages marriages, but couples may marry if they forgo the special blessings of the Nuptial Mass and limit social celebrations.<ref>Stuber, Stanley I. (1960). New Revised edition. ''Primer on Roman Catholicism for Protestants: an Appraisal of the Basic Differences between the Roman Catholic Church and Protestantism.'' New York: Association Press. p. 57.</ref>

The period of Lent observed in the [[Eastern Catholic Churches]] corresponds to that in other churches of [[Eastern Christianity]] that have similar traditions.