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ALenten supper is a meal that takes place in the evenings to break the day's fast during theChristian liturgical season ofLent, which is widely observed by members of theCatholic,Lutheran,Moravian,Anglican,Methodist, andUnited Protestant traditions, in addition to certainReformed denominations.[1][2] DuringGreat Lent,Oriental Orthodox Christians andEastern Orthodox Christians, as well as Christians belonging to theChurch of the East, consume Lenten suppers in the evening, typically after sunset.[3][4][5]
The origin of the Lenten supper lies in the early Church, when Christians would fast from food and water until sunset and then consume a Lenten supper once sundown occurred.[6] TheApostolic Constitutions only allowed for "bread, vegetables, salt and water" in the Lenten supper, with meat, lacticinia, and alcohol being forbidden.[7] For the final week of Lent—Holy Week—only bread and salt was permitted by the Canons of Hippolytus for the Lenten supper.[7] The post-Nicene church fatherJohn Chrysostom recorded that "no flesh was eaten during the whole of Lent."[7]
Lenten suppers occur daily from Mondays through Saturdays at sunset during the Lenten season in the context of Christian family life (if that family is observing all forty days of Lent through fasting); in a communal context, they are often held on Wednesdays (though they can be held any day[s] on Monday through Saturday) on which Christians of various denominations often attend a service of worship and then break that day's Lentenfast together through a community Lenten supper. The traditionalBlack Fast of Lent is kept by not eating during the day and then breaking the fast after sunset; theEucharistic Fast enjoins fasting before the reception of Holy Communion, with the duration of this fast depending on the denomination.[A][9][1][5][10]
Lenten suppers are often held in the church's parish hall in the public setting and in the context of a family meal in the home setting.[9][11] AMealtime Prayer is always offered before Christians partake in the Lenten supper. When they are held on Fridays, often following theStations of the Cross devotion, they often take the form of afish fry given that many Christians (especially Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists and Anglicans) practiceabstinence from meat on Fridays.[12][13][14][15] Given the Lenten focus on sacrifice, abstinence and plainness, Lenten suppers are simple, having foods like vegetarian soup (such ascarrot soup), bread and water, with no desserts (as many people practicevegetarianism andteetotalism as aLenten sacrifice).[1][9]
Christians of various traditions, who have voluntarily undertaken theDaniel Fast during the season of Lent, would consume Lenten suppers made from vegetables, fruits, lentils, beans, seeds and nuts, with meat, lacticinia and wine being excluded (cf.Daniel 10:3).[16][17][18] A basket foralms is often kept in the parish hall and Christians who are participating in the Lenten supper contribute to it; these alms are then given to the poor, as almsgiving is one of the three pillars of Lent.[1] In some communities, Lenten suppers are an expression of Christianecumenism, with Wednesday Lenten services that are followed by Lenten suppers being held at a different denomination's local church each week of Lent (e.g. Catholic, Moravian, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist and Reformed).[1] Christians have also invited non-Christians to Lenten suppers to allow them to learn more about Christianity and to build bridges with other faith communities.[2]
The Church teaches us to fast until sunset. Fish is not allowed during this period. Also married couples should refrain from physical relations to give themselves time for fasting and prayer (1 Cor. 7: 5). We would like to emphasize the importance of the period of strict abstention during fasting. It is refraining from eating and drinking for a period of time, followed by eating vegetarian food. ... True fasting must be accompanied by abstention from food and drink until sunset as designated by the Church.
Among those Christians who practice some sacrifice in the Lenten period before Easter, soup often has a place as a simple but sustaining meal at home and in weeknight church meetings.
St. Benedict's rule prescribed a great many fasts, over and above the ecclesiastical fast of Lent; but it made this great distinction between the two: that whilst Lent obliged the monks, as well as the rest of the faithful, to abstain from food till sunset, these monastic fasts allowed the repast to be taken at the hour of None.
Stations of the Cross followed by Lenten supper Fridays during Lent at 6 p.m.
Days of Fasting or Abstinence All the Fridays in the Year, except Christmas-Day
In Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist traditions, regulations called for abstinence from meat on Fridays as a type of penance.
In some cases, entire churches do the Daniel Fast together during Lent. The idea strikes a chord in Methodist traditions, which trace their heritage to John Wesley, a proponent of fasting. Leaders in the African Methodist Episcopal Church have urged churchgoers to do the Daniel Fast together, and congregations from Washington to Pennsylvania and Maryland have joined in.
Many parishioners at St. Philip Neri are participating in the Daniel fast, a religious diet program based on the fasting experiences of the Old Testament prophet Daniel. ... participating parishioners started the fast Ash Wednesday (Feb. 10) and will continue through Holy Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday.
Our family and friends are encouraged to take this journey during the season of Lent. This is a time we as Christians mature spiritually the 40 days before Resurrection Sunday. The Daniel Fast begins Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2021 and ends on Resurrection Sunday, April 4, 2021. Our common practice is 6 days on and 1 day off.