Are Sundays part of Lent? This question often arises because of the custom (mentioned in Part I) of many people giving themselves a break from penance on Sundays in Lent.
The answer is yes, Sundays are part of Lent. Here is the definition of Lent from the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar:
Lent runs from Ash Wednesday until the Mass of the Lord’s Supper exclusive [no. 28].
There’s nothing in that about Sundays not counting, so Sundays are indeed part of Lent.
Author: Jimmy Akin
Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."
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Jimmy,
I am a cradle Catholic and until just recently I never heard of this idea that Lent doesn’t include Sundays. I can accept the rational that every Sunday we celebrate Christ’s Resurrection and if you do the math. Anyway it works for me
So are there 46 days of Lent then?
Technically, Sundays are not part of Lent. Although we celebrate them liturgically as part of Lent, the Lord’s Day cannot be a day of fast and abstinence. Six weeks of Monday through Saturday gives you 36 days. If you add to them Ash Wednesday and the three days after it, you get the 40 days of Lent. go to this website it is very helpful.
http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Feb2002/wiseman.asp#F5
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The link Jimmy gives (above) makes it pretty clear that Jimmy is right.
I posted this (with some other quotes) on one of your other 40 day threads.
From the 1911 Catholic Encyclopedia:
“From what has been said it will be clear that in the early Middle Ages Lent throughout the greater part of the Western Church consisted of forty weekdays, which were all fast days, and six Sundays.”
It also makes it pretty clear that that was still the view in 1911.
So yes, Sundays are part of Lent, but they are traditionally not fasting days.
If you like, there are 46 days in Lent, but only 40 fasting days.