Orthodox Christians enter the Lent

Chisinau, 11 March /MOLDPRES/ - The Orthodox Christians have entered the Lent, which is the severest one out of all the four periods of fasting and which prepares people for Easter, marked on 28 April this year.     

According to the Orthodox calendar, during seven weeks, believers will not eat dairy products, eggs, meat and fish and will not drink alcoholic beverages. The Lent lasts 40 days, to which the Passions Week is added. During these 40 days, only on the Annunciation and on the Palm Sunday, believers can eat fish, unlike the Christmas fast, when there are 15 days when fish is allowed to eat. No weddings are held on this period.   

Moreover, Christians must abstain from bad thoughts, passions or bad deeds. This means that the fast of the body must be accompanied by the spiritual one.

Once the Lent starts, the prices for the fast products have began to increase. Thus, the price one kg of mushrooms grew by at least five lei at the Chisinau-based Central Market and costs 35 lei, on average. Due to the proteins they contain, people believe that mushrooms can replace meat. Traders say that, usually, during the Lent, the price of one kg of mushrooms may reach up to 50-55 lei.  

Also, beans, peas and vegetables are demanded. At the same time, the halls with meat were almost empty.

The calculation of the date when Christians celebrate the Easter deals with two phenomena: one with fixed date – spring equinox and another one with changing date – full moon. The latter one makes the Easter date vary each year.   

In 2020, the Orthodox Easter will be marked on 19 April.