02/23/2026
Did you know what Clean Monday marks?
Clean Monday marks the beginning of Great Lent and is about starting again. Great Lent (in Greek, Μεγάλη Σαρακοστή) lasts for forty days, ending on Lazarus Saturday. These forty days echo Christ’s own fasting in the wilderness and are meant to help us slow down, intensify our prayers, practice self-control, help others, and remember what truly matters in life. On this day, the Church invites us to clear space in our hearts, to let go of grudges, distractions, and spiritual clutter, and to begin Great Lent with honesty, humility, and hope. We begin Great Lent by turning back to God, trying humbly to improve our spiritual life.
Fasting is, of course, about rules, but more importantly, it is about “cleaning” the soul and learning to depend on God for everything. We ask Him, and He provides everything that is good and beneficial for our souls and our salvation. We struggle a little to add fasting and self-control to our lives, and He grants us abundant grace and spiritual joy.
The end of Great Lent is marked by Lazarus Saturday, when the Church celebrates Christ raising Lazarus from the dead. On Palm Sunday, we pause the strictness of the fast, and we eat fish, as it is one of the great Feasts of the Lord and a day of joy. Even as Christ walks toward the Cross, we proclaim Him as the King of the Church and our souls.
After Great Lent ends, the Church enters the separate and more intense fast of Holy Week, which begins on Holy Monday and continues through Holy Saturday. Each day draws us closer to Christ’s Passion, Cross, and Resurrection.
From Clean Monday to Holy Saturday, the fast is meant to carry us, step by step, toward Pascha and the joy of the Resurrection.
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