In 2023, Easter is considered early, because it falls on April 16.

Therefore, the Great Lent will begin very soon.

Traditionally, it lasts seven weeks before the Resurrection of Christ.

That is

, in 2023 it will last from February 27 to April 15

.

Great Lent: what you need to know about it

Lent consists of Pentecost and Holy Week.

The last one is the week before Easter.

Pentecost was established in honor of the forty-day fast observed by the Savior.

And Holy Week commemorates the last seven days of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion.

In general, Great Lent always lasts seven weeks, or 48 days.

The Church emphasizes that fasting is not only observing food restrictions.

Believers should also spend these days in prayer, reflect on their lives and repent of their sins.

What can be eaten during Great Lent 2023: menu by day

Lent: what you can eat / Photo: Pexels

It is worth noting that only physically healthy people can follow food restrictions.

Fasting is prohibited for children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with any chronic diseases.

The first and last week are considered the strictest

.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday in these weeks, only those products that have not undergone heat treatment can be consumed.

On Tuesday and Thursday, you can eat hot dishes, but without oil and only in the evening.

The Church allows certain relaxations on Saturday and Sunday.

Believers are allowed to eat hot food with oil.

And also to taste red wine.

The last week of Lent, called Holy Week, has a special day - Friday.

On this day, believers can only eat yesterday's bread and drink water.

And on Saturday, eating is prohibited at all.

In

the second to sixth weeks

, the daily menu

may look like this:

  • Monday - for breakfast you can brew buckwheat porridge on water, for lunch you can prepare cabbage soup and potato cutlets, for dessert you can eat fruit, and for dinner you can drink tea without sugar.

  • Tuesday - in the morning you can eat delicious oatmeal, for lunch - vermicelli soup, vegetable salad, pearl porridge with mushrooms.

    It is better to refrain from dinner.

  • Wednesday - you can start the day with rice porridge, and eat mushrooms and cabbage salad for lunch.

    It is better to skip dinner.

  • Thursday - corn porridge and dried fruits will be a great option for breakfast, salted salad and vegetable salad for lunch, and mashed potatoes and homemade preparations for dinner.

  • Friday - try barley porridge, cook pea soup, and also make a fruit salad, for dinner you can enjoy buckwheat with mushroom gravy.

  • Saturday - the beginning of the day will be wonderful with vinaigrette, and for lunch you can prepare rice porridge with prunes and dried apricots, for dinner you can make pasta and salad.

  • Sunday - oatmeal on the water can be breakfast, for lunch you can eat lean borscht and fried potatoes, and for dinner boiled rice with onions and carrots.

In general, you can experiment during Great Lent.

The main thing is to exclude all products of animal origin from the menu.

And this is milk, cheese, sour cream, eggs, meat and fish.

You can easily use pasta, various cereals, vegetables and fruits, dried fruits and herbs, home preparations and vegetable preservation.

Read also:

  • Fasting calendar for 2023: when believers observe food restrictions

  • When is Easter 2023: history and traditions, folk signs and strong prayer