Today marks the start of Lent, which is a time of self-sacrifice and devotion in the Catholic church.
One such sacrifice is fasting and abstaining from certain foods, which will impact what Illinois residents put on their dinner tables for the next six weeks.
What is Lent?
Lent is the time period from Ash Wednesday through Holy Thursday, and is meant to be observed with self-sacrifice, prayer and other religious activities leading up to Easter.
One of the rituals is to avoid eating meat on Fridays and fasting on specific days.
When does Lent start 2026? When does it end?
Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, which falls on Feb. 18 this year. Lent ends on Holy Thursday, which will fall on April 2.
This means it will last approximately six weeks.
When do you fast during Lent? Who fasts or abstains from eating meat?
In Catholicism, those who are 18 to 59 years old fast, and anyone 14 or older participates in abstaining from meat on Fridays.
The two days of obligatory fasting include Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, according to The Catholic Telegraph. On these days, a person is allowed to eat one full meal. Two smaller meals may also be taken, but they are not to equal that of a full meal.
Often people will also give something up during the 40-day season, whether that be sweets, alcohol or excessive spending. Others may focus on prayer or community service instead of sacrificing something.
Not all Christian denominations fast or give something up during Lent, however, and the practice can have many interpretations depending on someone’s spirituality, personal health and social circumstances.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: When does Lent start? Fasting rules and no-meat Fridays
Reporting by Hannah Hudnall and Marina Johnson, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
