For example, St. Ann Byzantine Catholic Parish Center on Locust Lane opened its doors on Saturday for Mardi Gras Slavic Style. A free traditional Slavic cuisine was available, in addition to soup, hot dogs, and build-your-own ice cream sundaes. There were games for adults and children, and dancing with traditional polka. These celebrations will continue throughout the Lenten season.

Our Pennsylvania Dutch communities are celebrating as well with their famous donuts (faustnaughts). These celebrations will usher in a 40-day period of more somber events.

Roman Catholic Christians throughout the area will file into their worship houses to receive the placement of ashes on their foreheads as a public sign of humility and penance. In more recent eras, Protestant Christians have also observed Lent in various ways. In our article, The Lenten Season and Protestants, we noted that the observance of Lent is increasing in the traditional Protestant church.


As Christians, we are entering one of the most spiritually enriching seasons of the year. If the Lord tarries His coming, the Lenten period will be repeated year after year. But this particular Lent will never return. Christians, let’s make the most of it. Let us seek and find the Lord anew. We are one new man in Christ, washed in His precious Blood.

That’s what Christianity is about.

The Evangelicals (which usually include the Pentecostals) is another whole segment of the Church. Historically, Evangelicals regarded the ritualistic observances of the Traditional Church as a step backwards into bondage. For example, the use of the church Hymnal was replaced with the singing of choruses, which eventually were printed for corporate use. The emergence of contemporary worship ultimately displaced the chorus sheets with power point projections on screens in the sanctuary.

In recent years, many Evangelical churches have migrated from a simple worship style to an event, which, in some cases, has even progressed to a performance level. Perhaps this is the reason why many contemporary Evangelicals seem to be embracing once again some of the rituals of the traditional Church.

The birth of Christ, celebrated at Christmas, is probably the first most popular Church tradition that is celebrated universally. The second most popular observances of the Christian calendar are represented by a re-enactment of the events just prior to the betrayal and crucifixion of Christ.

Periods of prayer and fasting and special gatherings often mark the 40-day period leading up to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Many Evangelicals observe the foot washing service, the common meal, and communion, a re-enactment of the events just prior to the betrayal and crucifixion of Christ. These events represent the second most popular observances of the Christian calendar, ending with the triumphant, victorious resurrection of Christ from the dead.

Perhaps we should evaluate our personal and corporate emphases during Lent, regardless of our Christian persuasion. Personal, individual devotions, centering on the last days of Jesus on earth, accompanied by periods of prayer and fasting is certainly in order. Don Saliers suggests in his study that we not ignore corporate times of searching the scriptures, and communal prayer and fasting. He also encourages simplifying our times of worship to allow more time for reflection.

That’s what Christianity is about.

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