The Lenten season is a sacred time in the Catholic Church and in the lives of many other faithful. This period is marked by 40 days of preparation, prayer, and self-denial.
More importantly, Lent is a season where Christians remember the passion of Jesus Christ and celebrate Easter, Jesus’ resurrection.
In the Philippines, where faith is deeply rooted in tradition, Lent is celebrated with a profound sense of faith, reverence, and community spirit.
What is Lent?
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts until the sixth Sunday of Lent, Easter Sunday.
Filipino families observe the Lenten season with solemn rituals, heartfelt traditions, and acts of service that lead to true inner conversion.
For many, Lent is a time for them to give up superficial things and habits that don’t serve God or don’t improve their life. They do this as a sign of sacrifice and self-control.
They believe that doing this during Lent helps honor Jesus Christ’s sacrifice when he went to the desert to pray and fast for forty days before dying on the cross.
Creating the Lenten Atmosphere at Home
While many Lenten observances happen in church, there is great value in bringing the spirit of Lent into the home.
Creating a peaceful Lenten season environment helps the whole family reflect on The Lord’s Passion and resurrection.
Whether it’s through meaningful décor, shared moments of prayer, or simple daily sacrifices, your house can become a sacred space for preparation and renewal.
Here’s how you can create a peaceful and reflective atmosphere at home:
1. Start with Understanding the Lenten Season
The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for six weeks, ending before Easter Sunday. It mirrors the forty days Jesus spent in the desert, fasting and praying.
During this time, Catholics are encouraged to focus on the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
The final week of Lent, in particular, is marked by processions, the Visita Iglesia, and spiritual reflections.
This period of Lent is more commonly known as Holy Week.
This week includes Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and finally, the celebration of Easter Sunday.
2. Set the Tone with Thoughtful Decorations
Transform your home into a space that reflects the solemnity and beauty of Lent. Use simple, symbolic decorations in shades of purple, the traditional color of the liturgical season, representing penance and reflection.
Here are other subtle decorations you can do at home during Lent:
- Hang a wooden cross in a visible area as a reminder of The Lord’s passion
- Decorate with bare branches, stones, and candles—symbolizing the desert and simplicity of Lent.
- Hang the blessed palm branches (palaspas) from Palm Sunday on your doors.
- Replace festive displays with subtle signs of sacrifice and service, saving vibrant colors and flowers for Easter Sunday.
- If you enjoy DIY, try using spray paint to transform old items into meaningful symbols of the season of Lent. A branch painted in purple or grey can make a striking centerpiece, reminding everyone of Jesus Christ being welcomed into Jerusalem.
3. Build a Lenten Prayer Space
Designate a quiet corner in your house as a blessed prayer area for the season of Lent. Place a Bible, a candle, rosary beads, and a crucifix there. Add a small bowl of water or ashes as a nod to Ash Wednesday.
This sacred space will encourage family members to pause, reflect, and pray together throughout all the days of Lent.
Consider gathering here each Sunday of Lent, especially on Laetare Sunday, the Fourth Sunday, and the Fifth Sunday, when the Church offers moments of hope and joy before remembering and commemorating the death and passion of Jesus Christ.
4. Practice Self-Control with Fasting and Simpler Meals
Part of honoring the Lenten season is engaging in acts of self-control through fasting. In the Philippines, it’s common to abstain from meat during all the Fridays of Lent, particularly on Good Friday.
During Lent, you can find that most food establishments serve non-meat options.
Encourage your family to eat simpler meals—perhaps a bowl of lugaw (rice porridge) instead of a full meal or serve eggs instead of red meat—and avoid dairy products or desserts as part of your Lenten sacrifice.
Involve children by letting them help prepare these meals and explain how this act is a form of self-denial.
It helps give a better understanding of Jesus’ sacrifice and encourages your family to honor God through living simply.
5. Create Lenten Traditions as a Family
Lent doesn’t have to be solemn all the time—it can also be a time of meaningful connection and yes, even so much fun, especially for children learning about faith.
Here are some ideas to help enrich your family’s religious life during Lent
- Go on a nature walk and reflect on the idea of new life among God’s creations and greenery.
- Write down other acts of kindness or sacrifices on slips of paper and place them in a jar. Remember to practice these things even after the Lenten season is over.
- Read the daily Gospel together or participate in an online church service if you can’t attend physically. Carve out time to pray together as a family, and you can extend this practice even after Lent is over.
- Take turns lighting a candle each evening and sharing one way you tried to follow Christ’s teachings that day.
6. Observe Holy Week at Home
As the climax of the church year, Holy Week is central to the Lenten season home experience. Here’s how you can participate meaningfully from home:
- On Palm Sunday, hang palm branches by your door or create your own from paper.
- On Holy Thursday, read the story of the Lord’s Supper and wash each other’s feet in a simple ritual of humility and service.
- On Good Friday, cover all images and crosses with purple cloth and spend time in silence or meditative prayer.
- On Holy Saturday, keep the house quiet and reflective in anticipation of the Easter Vigil.
- Celebrate Easter Sunday with joy, flowers, and music. Bring back the color and light to your home to honor the resurrection of the Lord.
7. Celebrate Easter as a Family
After the paschal fast, Easter Sunday is a grand celebration of life and victory over death in God. In many Western countries, they celebrate Easter as one of the main highlights of spring.
It’s become tradition for many to hold hunts for Easter eggs for kids.
Another Easter tradition is the Easter flowers arrangement, including white lilies (symbolizing purity and Jesus Christ’s resurrection) and daffodils (symbolizing new life).
Loved ones would give each other these flowers— and you can do a group activity of arranging flowers with your family.
Additionally, you can decorate your home with bright colors, light candles, and prepare a joyful full meal.
Make the celebration special by sharing your personal experiences of Lenten sacrifice and how your family grew in faith.
Let it be a moment to witness the power of Christ’s love and begin anew with a deeper spiritual connection.
Remembering and Honoring God: The Essence of Lent
Creating a peaceful Lenten season home isn’t about elaborate rituals. It’s about intentional living—making space for prayer, silence, reflection, and service within the rhythm of daily life.
In doing so, your house becomes more than just a place to rest—it becomes a sacred dwelling where Jesus, the heart of the season, truly lives.
May your Lenten season be filled with grace, renewal, and quiet joy as you prepare to welcome the risen Lord.
