Great Lent 2025: traditions, food calendar, rules and prohibitions.

Great Lent for Orthodox Christians will begin on March 3 and will last for 48 days. During Lent, believers abstain from meat and dairy products, as well as from entertainment and celebrations. This period is the most important and longest of all Orthodox fasts.

The fast is divided into several periods, each with its own significance. During Lent, it is important to pray a lot, read the Holy Scriptures, attend the temple, and help those in need. The exit from the fast should be gradual to avoid health problems.

Only healthy people can fast, while children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, pensioners, military personnel, and people with chronic illnesses are exempt from fasting. There are also exceptional cases when people cannot fast due to difficult life circumstances.