Lent

　　The Cross is the symbol of the Crucifixion, as opposed to the Resurrection.

　　Lentis the period of forty days which begins on Ash Wednesday. The season is devoted toreflection, which is marked by fasting, both from food and festivities.

　　Why is it called Lent?

　　Lent is an old English word meaning to lengthen. Lent is observed in spring, when the days begin to get longer.

　　Do you know?

　　The colour purple is the symbolic colour used in some churches throughout Lent because purple is the colour associated with royalty, and celebrates Christ' s resurrection and sovereignty.

Holy Week

　　Spain Seville Semana Santa Easter Holy Week Festival

　　Holy Week, the last week of Lent, begins with the observance ofPalm Sunday. Palm Sunday takes its name from Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem where the crowds laid palms at his feet.

　　Holy Thursdaycommemorates the Last Supper, which was held the evening before the Crucifixion.

　　Friday in Holy Week is the anniversary of the Crufixion, the day that Christ was crucified and died on the cross.

Good Friday

　　Good Friday commemorates Jesus' crucifixion

　　Good Fridayis the Friday before Easter. It commemorates the execution of Jesus by crucifixion.

　　Man Fridayis one of the main characters of Daniel Defoe's novelRobinson Crusoe. His name, in the novel given to him by Robinson Crusoe, has later become an expression used to describe a male personal assistant or servant.

Vocabulary:

　　Ash Wednesday: 圣灰星期三，大斋首日、复活节前第七个星期三和大斋期的第一天。在这一天很多基督教都用灰在前额画一标记以作忏悔和必死的标志。

　　Lent fast: 四旬节斋戒

　　Lent: 封斋期，从圣灰星期三（大斋节的第一天）到复活节的四十天，基督徒视之为禁食和为复活节作准备而忏悔的季节。可参考“词海拾贝”有关Carnival（嘉年华会）起源的第三种理论

　　reflection: 反省，自省

　　Good Friday: 耶稣受难日（复活节前的星期五）

　　Man Friday: “星期五”，英国作家丹尼尔·笛福的小说《鲁滨逊飘流记》中鲁滨逊的忠实奴仆。 现常用来指代“忠心的仆人；得力的男佣人”。

　　Holy Week: the week before Easter（圣周，复活节前一周）

　　Palm Sunday: the Sunday before Easter, observed by Christians in commemoration of Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, when palm fronds were strewn before him（棕榈星期日，复活节前的星期日，纪念耶稣胜利进入耶路撒冷，当天人们在他前面撒满了棕榈枝）

　　Holy Thursday: 圣星期四，复活节前最后一个星期四，用以纪念耶稣最后的晚餐

　　Easter traditions and origins

　　瞧，“春之女神”抱着她的小兔子向您招手了，很难想象吧？基督教最古老最有意义的一个节日，实际上是以古代北欧的黎明女神“伊奥斯特”命名的。伊奥斯特，原意是指“冬日逝去后春天的太阳从东方升起”，由于该词喻意“新生”，于是被基督教教徒借用，期冀“光明的恩赐者耶稣再次回到人间”。

　　Easter traditions and symbols are abundant. But what are the origins of these Easter traditions? Learn the history of Easter traditions here.