Orthodox believers have begun the Lent

From today until May the 5th, the Orthodox Christians fast.

This is the Lent, the most important, the longest and toughest period of the four of the Orthodox Church.

Popularly called the Lent, it recalls the 40 days and nights that Jesus Christ fasted before He started the mission.

The 40 days of Lent are based on a tradition of the Old Testament: the flood, which had to wash the earth away from sins, took 40 days and 40 nights; 40 years Jews ate manna in the wilderness, before reaching the Promised Land; Moses spent 40 days on the mountain to receive the Law.

Laurentiu Streza, the Metropolitan from Ardeal, said that the food fasting must be completed with good works.

"Lent is the best time of the church year, the most intense. Actually, it is an act of sacrifice we make each of us, wanting to give Jesus Christ- with whom we travel through his passion to the great resurrection-the sacrifice we bring him in this special period. Therefore, the food fast should always be completed with sins fast and good deeds, "said Metropolitan of Transylvania.

According to him, fasting with prayer and good deed are three elements that provide at this time to believer the possibility to stand closer to Christ than in other period of church year.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University