On Monday, Orthodox Christians begin Great Lent—the longest and most rigorous of the four multi-day fasts. In 2026, it will last from February 23 to April 11, ending just before Easter, which believers will celebrate on April 12.

Great Lent includes the Holy Forty Days (the first 40 days), Lazarus Saturday, the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, and Holy Week—a total of 48 days. The tradition of fasting dates back to apostolic times and was established in imitation of the 40-day fast of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus Christ.

During Lent, lay people are advised to abstain from meat, eggs, milk and dairy products, as well as fish, with the exception of two holidays: the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on April 7 and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem on April 5.

"It's absolutely essential to determine the extent of your fast not by online lists or monastic rules, but based on your health, your church life, and your life circumstances, and to discuss this with the priest you personally speak with," Archpriest Maxim Kozlov, head of the Russian Orthodox Church's Educational Committee, told RIA Novosti.

Lent is a time of repentance and spiritual preparation for the feast of the Resurrection of Christ.