Lent is a religious observance within the Christian liturgical calendar that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends six weeks later. During Lent, millions of Christians across the globe make sacrifices, including abstaining from eating meat on certain days during Lent. It is tradition for Christians to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday, which marks the official beginning of Lent, and many also abstain from eating meat on Fridays throughout Lent. According to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis, the practice of avoiding meat on Fridays during Lent stems from Christians’ belief that Jesus Christ sacrificed his flesh to atone for the sins of mankind. In recognition of that sacrifice, millions of Christians do not eat flesh meat, which includes the meat of mammals and poultry, on Fridays throughout Lent. Fish is not considered flesh meat, so many Christians consume fish on Fridays during Lent.
