Anyone Observing Lent in 2019?

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Originally Posted by BrettTheOkie ...The last time I observed Lent in this way was 2013, I gave up beer for that period. I kept it too, I didn't cheat once. When Easter Sunday arrived (and thus the end of Lent), I happened to be attending a month-long Army school at Camp Dodge, Iowa. That evening, a friend and I drove off-post and into Des Moines to a Buffalo Wild Wings. We had hot wings and I drank the first beer I'd had in a month and a half. Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone has plans to observe Lent in this way this year?

The practice of "giving up something" for Lent is not exactly fasting and is not the practice in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Great Lent/Великий Пост in the Orthodox Church is governed by monastic fasting rules which are extremely difficult to follow for the full 40 days before Easter Sunday. Meat and dairy products are given up. Orthodox Christians strive to complete the Great Lent, but there is no shame if one fails. The idea is to "purify our lives and liberate our souls" to the best of our abilities prior to the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday.

This year Eastern Orthodox Lent begins on March 11th and ends after the midnight Easter services on April 27th/28th. In the wee hours of the morning of April 28th after the midnight services everyone goes home and has a huge feast to break the Fast.

Also, we do NOT condone bragging about the Fast or comparing notes. It's something that's private and a striving for an ideal, NOT a contest to see who can "give up something."

Also, it should be mentioned that the 40 day period of Great Lent prior to the Resurrection of our Lord is NOT limited to fasting. Below is an article which summarizes the basic rules Orthodox Christians strive to follow during Great Lent.

Fasting Guidlines During Great Lent

We Orthodox Christians, in obedience to the words of our Divine Savior, and in imitation of the saints, set aside a period of intense fasting and prayer in order to purify our spiritual senses so we may see the Holy Resurrection. Following the traditions handed to us by the saints, we abstain from all meat products, all dairy products, eggs, fish and olive oil the entire period of Great Lent. Those who believe that we fast strictly only for the first and last week err and are not in accord with the teaching of the saints. We may have olive oil on Saturdays and Sundays and any day there is a Polyeleos. We may partake of fish only on the feast of the Annunciation and Palm Sunday.

Only those who are ill or for medical reasons are unable to fast are excused from this God-pleasing struggle. And those people may discuss the matter in confession. Children also fast to their ability, again, discussed privately with the spiritual father. Married couples may not have physical relations the entire of Great Lent. Televisions should be either unplugged or severely limited with no worldly music allowed. Families should gather in prayer more frequently and attend as many church services during the week as they possibly can. Holy Communion and Confession should be observed weekly.

To break the fast is a matter for repentance and confession. To do so by accident is understandable. To knowingly break the fast with no regard or as though fasting were unimportant is definitely a sin which must be confessed.

We can always develop elaborate defenses against fasting, but in the end, if fasting were not vital for our spiritual development, the Lord and His saints would not have commanded it. Some will say that fasting is a matter for monastics. They do not speak the truth. History shows a long practice of strict fasting for all Christians. We may say that fasting is a tool, and not the goal of the spiritual life. But, what physician would perform surgery without the beneficial use of an antiseptic or without washing his hands? What carpenter would build a house with no hammer? What gardener would tend his crops without implements? What Christian would advance to the heavenly kingdom without prayer and fasting?
CITE:http://www.orthodox.net/articles/fastrule.html

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Anyone Observing Lent in 2019?