Great Lent is the lengthy period in the Church's annual liturgical cycle, when all Orthodox Christians are called to heightened attentiveness to the Christian life, through increased attendance at the divine services, an increase of almsgiving, severe fasting and other ascetical labours.
Each week in the Great Fast, including four weeks prior to it, has a specific theme and focus. The resources provided here in the Monachos.net Great Lent Area are aimed to relate to each of the weeks of preparation for Holy Pascha.
NEW: A daily patristic reading plan for every day of Great Lent, with linked daily texts from the Fathers.
Lenten Calendar & Materials, 2010
This section contains detailed materials for each week of the Great Fast, 2010, as well as the pre-Lenten period. Click on the slider for the current week to find day-by-day resources, services, reflections, and other materials.
Pre-Lenten Weeks
| Sundays before the Triodion, 2010 |

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4 / 17 January Tone VII
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Sunday of Zacchaeus
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11 / 24 January Tone VIII
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Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
- 'Not like other men' - A reflection on the Gospel reading of the Publican & Pharisee and its application to the spiritual journey leading into Lent, particularly with regard to judgement.
- NOTE: In the week following the Sunday of the Publican & Pharisee, there is no fasting on any day, in remembrance of the Publican who was saved through his humility.
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18 / 31 January Tone I
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Sunday of the Prodigal Son
- Triodion hymns for the Prodigal Son - The hymns and texts from the Triodion for the services of this Sunday.
- 'All to no purpose have I left my true home' - A reflection on the hymongraphy and meaning of the Sunday of the Prodigal Son as an entrance into Great Lent.
- The spirit of exile and the sin of man - A new reflection for this Lent, written in the past year, on the state of exile described in the account of the Prodigal Son, rather than a fall, as the Church's principal vision of man's sinful condition.
- NOTE: Normal fasting (i.e. on Wednesday and Friday) resumes this week; wine is permitted on both days.
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24 January / 6 February
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Commemoration of the Departed
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25 January / 7 February Tone II
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Sunday of the Last Judgement (Meat Fare)
- Triodion hymns for the Last Judgement - The hymns and texts from the Triodion for the services of this Sunday.
- On the Christian fear of God: the Last Judgement - Reflection upon the references to fear, judgement, wrath and expectation in the hymns and services of the Last Judgement, and the place of these in the Lenten preparation.
- NOTE: From the Sunday of the Last Judgement, no meat is eaten until Pascha. However, in the week following this Sunday, all other foods are allowed on every day of the week (i.e. normal fasting rules for Wednesdays and Fridays are relaxed).
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31 January / 13 February (Sat) |
- Commemoration of Ascetics
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1 / 14 February Tone III
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Forgiveness Sunday (Cheese Fare), which is properly the Sunday of the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise
- Forgiveness Sunday: At the threshold of the Fast - Reflections on the Sunday of Forgiveness, starting from the day's main commemoration—the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise—and investigating the interrelatedness of the theme of exile with the need for mutual forgiveness before beginning the Fast.
- The Rite of Mutual Forgiveness - The hymns and texts service of Evening Vespers on Sunday, including the forgiveness rite.
- NOTES: This is the final weekend on which we sing 'By the rivers of Babylon...' until next year; and it marks the final celebration of the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom until the Sunday of Palms. It is also the final day on which we eat milk, cheese, eggs, and other dairy products until Holy Pascha.
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First Week
First Week of Great Lent, 2010 - Tone III
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2 / 15 February (Mon)
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Beginning of Great Lent (Clean Week) and the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord
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3 / 16 February (Tue)
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Tuesday in Clean Week
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4 / 17 February (Wed)
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Wednesday in Clean Week
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5 / 18 February (Thu)
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Thursday in Clean Week
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6 / 19 February (Fri)
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7 / 20 February (Sat) |
Saturday of the Great-Martyr Theodore |
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8 / 21 February (Sun) Tone IV
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Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy
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Second Week
| Second Week - Tone IV |
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11 /24 February (Wed)
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13 / 26 February (Fri)
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14 / 27 February (Sat)
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15 / 28 February (Sun) Tone V
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Sunday of St Gregory Palamas
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Third Week
Third Week - Tone V
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18 February / 3 March (Wed)
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20 February / 5 March (Fri)
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21 February / 6 March (Sat) |
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22 February / 7 March (Sun) Tone VI
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Sunday of the Adoration of the Precious Cross
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Fourth Week
Fourth Week - Tone VI
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25 February / 10 March (Wed)
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27 February / 12 March (Fri)
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28 February / 13 March (Sat)
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1 / 14 March (Sun) Tone VII
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Sunday of St John Klimakos (John of the Ladder)
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Fifth Week
Fifth Week - Tone VII
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4 / 17 March (Wed)
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5 / 18 March (Thu) |
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6 / 19 March (Fri)
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7 / 20 March (Sat) |
- Saturday of the Akathist Hymn (service generally done on Friday evening, as above)
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8 / 21 March (Sun) Tone VIII
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Sunday of St Mary of Egypt
- The Life of St Mary of Egypt - St Sophronius' Life of St Mary, the great desert ascetic and example of true repentance, to whose memory the Sunday of the fifth week of Lent is dedicated; also includes additional information on the saint.
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Sixth Week
Sixth Week - Tone VIII
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9 / 22 March (Mon) |
Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste |
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11 / 24 March (Wed) |
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13 / 26 March (Fri)
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14 / 27 March (Sat)
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Lazarus Saturday
- Kontakion on the raising of St Lazarus - The great Hymn of St Romanos the Melodist on the raising of Lazarus—one of the most moving reflections upon Christ's gift of new life to His friend and to all the faithful, by tending to the 'tears of Mary and Martha'.
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15 / 28 March (Sun) Tone I / Festal Tones
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The Entrance of Our Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)
- Matins (PM) of the Bridegroom
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Passion Week
Passion Week - Tone I / Festal Tones
On the Services of Passion Week Special Reading for Passion Week: On the Passover by Melito of Sardis |
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16 / 29 March (Mon)
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Great & Holy Monday
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17 / 30 March (Tue)
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Great & Holy Tuesday
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18 / 31 March (Wed)
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Great & Holy Wednesday
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19 March / 1 April (Thu)
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Great & Holy Thursday, with Washing of Feet
- Vesperal Liturgy of St Basil the Great
- Matins (PM) with Twelve Passion Gospels
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20 March / 2 April (Fri)
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Great & Holy Friday (strict fast)
- 12 Passion Gospels & Royal Hours (read night before)
- Royal Hours
- Vespers & Epitaphios Service
- Matins & Burial Service
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21 March / 3 April (Sat)
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Great and Holy Saturday (wine allowed, but no oil)
- Lamentations and Acts of the Apostles
- Midnight Office
- Paschal Matins
- Paschal Midnight Liturgy
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22 March / 4 April 2010
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The Glorious Resurrection of Christ, the Pascha of the Lord
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