Wollongong - For all Orthodox Christians, today, 23 February 2026, the Great Lent has begun. The Lent lasts from Clean Monday to Lazarus Saturday, after which the fast of Holy Week follows, meaning the total duration of the fasting period is 48 days. This is the longest fast of the year, ending with the Feast of the Resurrection, which this year falls on 12 April.
The Great Lent was observed by the Apostles, as well as by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. During the Great Lent, animal-based food is not consumed, but the essence of the fast is not only in abstaining from this type of food, but also from certain bad habits, words, thoughts, and deeds.
Easter is the greatest Christian feast, as it marks the resurrection of Christ from the dead, symbolising the victory of faith and life over death. Easter is a movable feast determined according to the lunar calendar, and it always falls on a Sunday between 4th April and 8th May. This year, we celebrate Easter on 12 April.