In the Christian church, a period of penitential preparation for Easter , observed since apostolic times.
Western churches once provided for a 40-day fast (excluding Sundays), in imitation of
the first day of Lent in Western Christianity, when the penitent traditionally have their foreheads marked with ashes
and {{link=Good Friday">Good Friday are now kept as Lenten fast days. Rules of fasting are stricter in the Eastern churches.