When is Lent over 2025: 5 dates you need to know

Every year, as the festive season of Christmas fades, a quieter, more reflective time appears on the horizon. It’s a 40-day journey of preparation, sacrifice, and renewal that sits at the very heart of the Christian faith. It’s the season of Lent. 🌱

But let’s be honest, the timing can be a little confusing, right? Unlike Christmas, which is fixed on December 25th, Lent and Easter are a moving target. The dates change every single year, which can leave many of us wondering, «When does Lent start? And more importantly, when is Lent over?»

Knowing these dates isn’t just about marking your calendar. It’s about preparing your heart for a season that is meant to be transformative. Lent is our spiritual «spring cleaning,» a time to clear out the clutter in our souls to make room for the explosive joy of Easter. It’s a powerful journey modeled on the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness, preparing for his public ministry.

So, if you’re looking to make this Lent your most meaningful one yet, you’ve come to the right place. Here at oracioncristiana.org, we believe preparation is the key to a fruitful spiritual life. Let’s break down the key dates for 2025, explore the deep meaning behind the season, and discover how you can walk this path with purpose.

The Simple Answer: Key Dates for Lent 2025

Let’s get the most important question out of the way first. The dates for Lent are tied to the date of Easter, which is calculated based on the lunar calendar (it’s the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring!).

For 2025, here are the five key dates you need to know:

• Ash Wednesday (The First Day of Lent): Lent officially begins on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. This is the day when the faithful receive ashes on their foreheads as a sign of repentance.
• Palm Sunday: This marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final, most sacred week of Lent. It falls on Sunday, April 13, 2025.
• Holy Thursday: This is the day the Lenten season liturgically ends. It falls on Thursday, April 17, 2025. The end of Lent marks the beginning of the sacred Paschal Triduum.
• Good Friday: The most solemn day of the year, commemorating Jesus’s crucifixion. It is on Friday, April 18, 2025.
• Easter Sunday: The glorious celebration of the Resurrection! It is on Sunday, April 20, 2025.

So, the liturgical season of Lent ends on the evening of April 17th, but the 40-day Lenten fast continues through Holy Saturday, April 19th. This leads to a common point of confusion we’ll clear up below!

What is Lent, Really? (More Than Just Giving Up Chocolate)

For many people, Lent is simply «the time you give something up.» We give up chocolate, social media, or coffee for a few weeks. While that sacrifice is a wonderful discipline, it’s only one small part of a much deeper spiritual journey. Lent is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in preparation for the celebration of Easter.

It’s an imitation of the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert, where he was tempted by Satan before beginning his public ministry (Matthew 4:1-11). It’s our time to step into the «desert» with him, to quiet the noise of the world so we can hear God’s voice more clearly.

The entire purpose of Lent is preparation. It’s a time to confront our own sinfulness, to repent, and to turn our hearts back to God, so that when Easter Sunday arrives, we are spiritually ready to celebrate the resurrection with true, unbridled joy.

The Three Pillars of Lent: How to Observe the Season

The Church gives us a clear roadmap for a fruitful Lenten journey. It’s built on three ancient and powerful pillars that Jesus himself taught. These are the core practices of the season.

1. Prayer

The first pillar is a call to deepen our relationship with God through conversation. Lent is a time to pray more intentionally and more frequently. It’s about carving out deliberate time to speak with and, more importantly, listen to God.

This doesn’t have to be complicated! It could mean:

• Adding 15 minutes of quiet time to your morning routine to read the daily Mass readings.
• Praying the Rosary as a family in the evening.
• Simply turning off the radio during your commute and speaking to God from the heart.

2. Fasting

This is the most famous Lenten practice. Fasting is about self-denial, disciplining our bodies to strengthen our souls. It’s a way of saying, «My spiritual hunger for God is more important than my physical hunger for food.»

The Church has specific rules for fasting and abstinence (especially on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday), but personal fasting can take many forms. Giving up a luxury like sweets or alcohol is a classic practice. But you can also «fast» from negative habits like gossip, complaining, or excessive screen time.

3. Almsgiving

This is the third, and sometimes forgotten, pillar. Almsgiving is the practice of giving to those in need, sharing the gifts God has given us. It’s the outward expression of the inward change that prayer and fasting are meant to produce.

Lent is the perfect time to be more generous with your «time, talent, and treasure.» This could mean:

• Donating money to a charity you care about.
• Volunteering your time at a local food bank or shelter.
• Using your professional skills to help your parish or a non-profit.

As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) reminds us, these three pillars work together to help us «repent and believe in the Gospel.»

When Does Lent Really End? (Clearing Up the Confusion)

This is one of the trickiest questions, and it depends on what you’re asking about: the liturgical season or the 40-day fast.

The Liturgical Season Ends on Holy Thursday

According to the official rules of the Church, the season of Lent ends on the evening of Holy Thursday (April 17, 2025). When the Mass of the Lord’s Supper begins on Holy Thursday evening, the Church enters into a new, short, and sacred season called the Paschal Triduum. The Triduum is the three-day period (Triduum means «three days») that is the climax of the entire liturgical year: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday leading to the Easter Vigil.

The 40-Day Fast Ends on Holy Saturday

But wait, what about the «40 days»? If you count the days from Ash Wednesday, you’ll notice that Sundays are not included in the 40 days (every Sunday is a «mini-Easter,» a celebration of the Resurrection). If you do this count, the 40th day of Lent is Holy Saturday (April 19, 2025). Many people continue their Lenten penances and fasting until the Easter Vigil begins on Saturday night.

So, both answers are right in their own way! The season of Lent ends on Thursday, but the penitential practice of the 40-day fast continues until Saturday. It’s a beautiful transition from penance to the solemn remembrance of the Triduum, and finally, to the joy of Easter.

Practical Tools to Make Lent 2025 Your Best Yet

In our busy, modern world, it can be hard to stay focused for 40 days. Thankfully, we have more tools than ever to help us on our Lenten journey. Combining ancient practices with modern technology can make a huge difference.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Use a Prayer App: Apps like Hallow or Pray.com offer daily Lenten reflections, guided Rosaries, and scripture readings that you can listen to on your commute or during a quiet moment.
2. Find a Lenten Devotional: A good devotional book or email series can give you a short, powerful thought to meditate on each day. Many parishes, and online communities like oracioncristiana.org, offer these resources.
3. Join a Study Group: Don’t go it alone! Join a small Bible study or prayer group at your parish. Journeying with others provides accountability and encouragement.
4. Set Digital Reminders: Use a calendar app on your phone to set a daily reminder to pray or to read a passage of scripture. Technology can be a powerful tool for building holy habits.

A Journey, Not a Destination

Lent is not a marathon of misery. It’s a hopeful, life-giving journey of preparation. It’s an invitation from God to clear away the distractions, to look honestly at our hearts, and to draw closer to Him.

Knowing «when is Lent over» is helpful for our planning, but the true goal is to arrive at Easter Sunday with a heart that is more open, more loving, and more ready to receive the incredible joy of the Resurrection. May this Lenten season be a time of profound renewal for you and your family.

Now, I’d love to hear from you. The comments are open!

→ What is your favorite way to observe Lent?
→ What are you thinking of «giving up» or «taking on» for Lent 2025?
→ How can our community support one another through this 40-day journey?

Let’s share our plans and encourage each other!