Ramadan and Lent are in full swing for those of the Islamic and Christian faiths, respectively, but when will the season end?
Ramadan and Lent are among the most important seasons for their respective faiths and run around the same time, even though they are unrelated.
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and represents the time of year Muslims believe God sent the angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad to reveal the first verses of the Quran, according to Intercultural Networks Group, or ING.
The season is characterized by 30 days of fasting, praying, and religious study for believers to strengthen their relationship with God. For 30 days, all Muslims who have reached puberty fast from sunup to sundown.
Lent is a representation of the 40 days and nights Jesus Christ spent fighting temptation in the desert. Christian faiths that observe the season will often sacrifice something important for that time, abstain from eating meat on Fridays, pray, and even fast to strengthen their relationship to God.
Ramadan is more than halfway through and will end soon, with Lent not too far behind.
When does Ramadan end?
Ramadan ends on either March 19 or 20 for California Muslims, depending on the moon cycle, the Desert Sun previously reported. Eid ul-Fitr, or the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast, is the official end of the season and is a celebration commemorating the end of the fast, according ING.
A special prayer is held the morning of Eid, and gifts are often given to children. A feast, special seasonal foods, and a celebration with family and friends are often part of the day’s festivities.
When does Lent end?
Lent officially ends on Palm Sunday, which falls on March 29. Holy Week is the week leading up to Jesus’s death and resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Easter Sunday is on April 5 this year, and for followers of Christian faiths that observe Lent, the celebration is similar to the end of Ramadan with special prayers, food, and festivities observed to commemorate the end of the season.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: When Ramadan and Lent end in 2026 — what to know about both observances
Reporting by Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
