TURA: Christians, particularly Roman Catholics, began observance of the 46 days holy season of Lent which culminates in Easter by taking part in special church service on Ash Wednesday throughout the Garo Hills.
Thousands of devotees attended special mass in church in different parts of Garo Hills on Wednesday which marks the first day of fasting and of Lent in Western Christianity.
On this holy occasion, ashes derived from previous year’s Palm Sunday are blessed and marked with the sign of the cross on the foreheads of devotees symbolizing the beginning of 46 days Lent season which will conclude on Easter Sunday.
According to the canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus Christ spent 40 days fasting in the desert where he endured temptation by Satan.
Lent originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days, except on Sundays, as preparation for Easter. Every Sunday was seen as a commemoration of the Sunday of Christ’s resurrection and so as a feast day on which fasting was inappropriate.
