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p  A Russian woman lights a candle to celebrate Easter at a church in Moscow. Eastern Orthodox churches, which observe the ancient Julian calendar, usually celebrate Easter later than Western Churches.

The 40 Days of Lent Lent is the period before Easter that some Christian churches observe as a time of prayer, fasting, and abstinence . Abstinence means giving up a pleasure (such as chocolate). Lent commences onAshWednesday and concludes on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday. Originally, various Christian groups established the observance as an interval ranging from a few days to several weeks. Eventually it was fixed in the eighth century at 40 days, representing the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness. Among Roman Catholics, Lent lasts for six-and-a-half weeks

Easter Cycles The cycle of Easter dates repeats itself every 84 years in the Western Churches and every 19 years in the Eastern Churches. In other words, Easter this year will fall on the same date as it did 84 years ago and will fall 84 years from now in the Western Churches. In the Eastern Churches it will fall on the same date as it did 19 years ago and will fall 19 years from now.

Origins and Celebrations of Easter n

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