Every Orthodox Christian, who takes an active part in the life of the Church, knows from his personal experience what meaning the days of Great Lent have for all of us. The Church instituted Lent so that every human person living in todays complex world of day-to-day affairs, concerns and obligations can, for at least a time, halt his race through life, look at what is happening to him, look at the inner state of his soul, see whether he is going towards heaven or running without moving, or even maybe whether he is crawling into the abyss of vices, powerless to escape the captivity of sinful habits.'This is why the saving time of Great Lent is given to us so that we may attempt to change our life for the better, using all spiritual means such as fasting, prayer, repentance and good deeds. In these days each of us is called by the Church again and again to remember God. the coming kingdom of heaven, to question ourselves on what needs to be done so that we may dare to hope to enter into this kingdom.
Great Lent is the school of Christian life, the school of deep inner work on ourselves, ir is a lesson in self-limitation, it is the sacrifice which each of us is to offer to God as a tithe. The Holy Forty-Day Fast immerses us in the special atmosphere of the spiritual life, calls upon each of us to concentrate as much attention as possible upon spiritual values, upon the work of the spirit, it allows us to test ourselves in the struggle against falsehood, and to taste victory over sin not only in the depths of our soul, but also in the active reality of our life.
Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow ami All Rus
