Easter Fasting and Lenten Customs: A Journey of Reflection
When does fasting start in 2026 and how long does it last?
The forty-day fasting period each year kicks off on Ash Wednesday and goes on until Holy Saturday. In 2026, this fasting season will run from 18 February to 4 April 2026. If you choose to practice traditional fasting this year, it doesn’t mean you will be starving—traditionally, you should stay away from animal products like meat, meat products, eggs, and dairy products. Stricter fasting rules even include coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, and sweets as “forbidden” treats. The strictest day is Ash Wednesday, when devoted Christians eat nothing and only drink water.
Folk customs dictated that women should refrain from washing clothes on this day, as it was believed that the clothes would stay dirty all year. Men often consumed brandy, which was thought to protect them from mosquito bites the following summer. Women used to walk through the village with boiled soap in a pot to find men who hadn’t recovered from Shrovetide festivities, and they would paint their faces. The men could save themselves from this embarrassing situation—the women would use the money they earned to purchase sweet liqueur, which they would then enjoy together… Another fun tradition was “searching for the lost carnival“, where a man in silly attire wandered the village with a lantern, pretending to look for the lost carnival. Whenever he was welcomed into a house, he searched everywhere while the residents laughed at him. They would then give him some leftovers from the carnival feast.
Lent: what to eat during fasting and what dishes to prepare
We have already discussed what is not allowed during fasting. But what can you eat without breaking the fast? Traditionally, our ancestors enjoyed many types of soups, potatoes, legumes, porridge, pancakes, bread, sauerkraut, root vegetables, and cereals during this time. Therefore, the core of a Lenten diet is comprised of cooked cereals, legumes, pučálka, wholemeal bread, cooked vegetables, fermented cabbage, potatoes, rice, pasta, and nuts or preserves. You can use oil for frying, and if you’re not following strict fasting rules, bacon or lard might be okay too. However, the true goal of fasting is to give up unnecessary pleasures for spiritual growth. Interestingly, Sunday does not count as part of the fasting period, allowing for some indulgence, but the only permissible meat on Sunday is fish.
Some recommended dishes include pea porridge, lentil soup, potato pancakes, millet, oatmeal with fruit, bean soup, potato soup, vegetable risotto, vegetarian borscht, pasta salad, cat’s dance (a mix of barley and lentils), grenadier’s march with cabbage, Krkonoše sour soup, or jahleník. The best drink to pair with these meals is plain water, which can be enhanced with a splash of lemon. Unsweetened tea or herbal teas are good options too.
The most stringent days of Easter fasting
Cultural traditions during Lent
Lent didn’t mean all fun ended and people had to stay indoors. The six Sundays leading up to Easter are special and have unique names; the first of these is known as Black Sunday or Fox Sunday. In some areas, women wore black dresses, while in others, children discovered pretzels in gardens that were “lost” there by a fox during the night.
The second Sunday of Lent is called Pražná, named after a popular Lenten dish called pražmo that many people enjoyed. Sneezing Sunday is the third Sunday in this series. People wished each other well and hoped no one sneezed, since there was a past belief that sneezing could cause the plague. The fourth Sunday is Družební. Young folks would gather in the village square, and stuffed cakes would be made at home. Even today, the last Sunday before Easter is called Death. On this day, the Grim Reaper, or Morana, is carried out of the village, often thrown into a river or burned. In the Moravian Karst, there’s a spot known as Death Cave where villagers used to dispose of Morana. Another notable Sunday is Palm Sunday, which remembers Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, when people greeted him with fresh tree branches and laid them on the road. On this day, catkins are blessed, and lamb is usually baked.
Exploring Lent Sundays and their unique customs
Bright Easter, marking the conclusion of Lent and festive delicacies
After a time of fasting, the beginning of Easter also signals the closing of Lent. It peaks on Good Friday and wraps up on Holy Saturday, just before Easter Sunday. However, this week is vibrant, with each day featuring its own colors and characteristics. It kicks off with Blue Monday, a day reserved for light work. Things that are broken should be fixed, and those that are beyond repair should be tossed away. Grey Tuesday is dedicated to cleaning, where cobwebs and dirt are cleared. Green Thursday honors Jesus’ last meal with his disciples. The name likely originated from a mix-up with the original German name Greindonnerstag (Lazy Thursday), changing to Gründonnerstag (Green Thursday). Although it’s not associated with anything green in particular, many people still eat spinach on this day. White Sunday is the concluding day of Easter week, named for the white robes worn by those getting baptized on this day.
Why do they call Wednesday Ugly, Thursday Green, and Friday Great?
With the end of Lent, people can again indulge in various treats. After a period of self-denial, it’s time for plenty of delicious food again. Traditional Easter dishes include nettle stuffing, mazanec (a sweet bread made from leavened dough), or sponge cake shaped like a lamb topped with sugar or chocolate. In Moravia, Easter šmigrustovka, a specific soup connected with Easter carols, is popular. Another delightful sweet is jidáše, pastries topped with honey, along with fried boží milosti, which are sugary treats.
Suggestions for traditional Easter dishes
