Lent Resource Guide for Families
Great Lent is a special gift that the Church gives us in order to help us re-focus our lives on Christ. The Church has set aside 7 weeks as a special time of repentance and calls us to a long and sustained spiritual effort. It is comparable to a school of repentance in which every Christian can go yearly in order to deepen their faith, re-evaluate, and, if possible, to change their lives. It’s a wonderful journey to the very source of the Orthodox faith; a rediscovery of the Christian way of life. As we recognize this significant shift in our liturgical calendar, I wanted to provide resources and ideas to help you cultivate a lenten environment in your homes and with your families. May this be a fruitful Lent season for us all!
(1) Count Down the Days
Great Lent is quite the marathon for the faithful, as it’s 40 days of fasting followed by Holy Week, which of course ends with the greatest feast of all, PASCHA! For children especially, I find that having a visual of the days leading up to Pascha is not only fun and engaging, but also gives insights into how many days we have left until the Feast of Feasts! There are many ways to visually represent the days of Lent. Below I’ve shared some resources available for purchase and some that can be made using materials you might already own!
Using our Draw Near Designs Fabric Lent Calendar
For purchase
Fabric Lent Calendar by Draw Near Designs - Mark your journey through Great Lent with a candle that moves from day to day (pocket to pocket) as we progress towards the Pascha. This is a brand new fabric wall calendar that can be used year after year. DIY kits are still available for sale HERE.
The Cradle to Cross Wooden Wreath by The Keeping Company - this is not only an heirloom piece, made out of cherry wood and oiled stained, but it can also be used for both Lent and the Advent/Nativity Fast as it has a 40 day represented, a small figure of Christ carrying the Cross, and includes a figure riding a donkey as represented in both stories. This is a wreath that will be a stunning centerpiece to any table and offers a beautiful visual as we count down the days to Pascha. The kit is available for purchase HERE.
Lady Lent Wall Hanging by Orthodox Pebbles and St Tabitha's Workshop Lady Lent is a time-honored Greek Orthodox Christian tradition as a way to count down the weeks to Pascha. The 7 feet represent the weeks of the Great Lent and Holy Week. At the beginning of Lent (Cheesefare) the family attaches all seven feet to the bottom of the wall hanging, then each Sunday of the Great Fast, the family will remove one foot until Pascha! The DIY Fabric kit is available for purchase HERE.
Purple DIY Fabric Lent Calendar by St. Tabitha's Workshop Here’s another great fabric calendar as we count down the days of lent. What makes this calendar stand out is it has each day of the week labeled for Lent and also includes a Pascha Banner which can be used throughout the Paschal season! You can find this DIY Fabric Kit available for purchase HERE.
From Left to Right: Fabric Lent Calendar by Draw Near Designs, Cradle to Cross Wooden Wreath by the Keeping Company, Lady Lent Wall Hanging by Orthodox Pebbles + St Tabitha’s Workshop, and Purple DIY Fabric Lent Calendar by St Tabitha’s Workshop
Free/Re-purposed Resources:
Illumination Learning Free Printable Countdown - if you’re looking for a visual countdown that is budget-friendly, check out this printable one from Illumination Learning! You can download and print it HERE
Sand and Pebble Countdown - Using a large flat dish full of sand as a table centerpiece, you can add a pebble each day to count the days of the Fast. This can also morph into an Empty Tomb Resurrection Garden during Holy Week!
Sheep and Cotton Ball Countdown - Color a large piece of construction paper to look like a sheep, then add a cotton ball for each day of the fast. This might be particularly fun for younger children, and we can speak about Christ being the Shepherd, or the Lamb of God.
From Left to Right: Illumination Learning Printable, Sand and Pebble Countdown turned into a Resurrection Garden, Sheep and Cotton Ball Countdown
(2) Daily or Weekly Study Resources
For Families :
Tending the Garden of our Hearts Book - If you’re looking for a way to keep your family engaged in the spiritual nourishment but you need a simple guide, this is a great resource to know about! Tending the Garden of Our Hearts offers family devotions based on the scriptures for each day of Great Lent, including questions to discuss and ponder. Whether you use it every day or dip into it occasionally as time permits, this book will help the whole family get more out of this season of the Orthodox year. Also available as an audiobook and ebook.
Tending the Garden of our Hearts Activity Book - This year, co-author Kristina Wenger created an amazing printable Activity book to go along with the book full of hands-on activities to bring the lessons of the season to life. It also includes printable ornaments that can colored and cut out and used in the pouches of the Draw Near Designs Lent Fabric Calendar! You can purchase and download the activity book HERE for $10. *Scholarship copies are available for any family who wants to use it but is not in a place to purchase it right now - email Kristina@tending-the-garden.com as free copies are available!
Lenten Study for Kids - Sylvia of Orthodox Mom has created a Children’s Study Guide for Lent. The study is a PDF download that you can print at home, and it includes a story for each Sunday of Lent and each day of Holy Week, which explains what we’re celebrating, different activities like word searches, crosswords, and word scrambles, coloring pages, recipes and more! There’s also a weekly craft project that is super fun, yet simple, so as to not take too much time in an already busy season. You’ll definitely want to check this out! Find it HERE.
Adult Lenten Study:
Orthodox Lenten Study by Orthodox Mom - A 124-page Printable Study that includes a weekly themed devotional reading, daily Scripture verse and prompts for reflection, a couple Lenten recipes and a basic run down of Holy Week. It is a very simple to use study. Simply print it out and place the pages in a binder or folder. You can take it with you wherever you go! Grab your Bible and do your daily reading and responding with your morning coffee, in car line or while waiting in the doctor’s office, or at night after everyone else is fast asleep. Purchase and download HERE.
Great Lent - I highly recommend Great Lent by Fr Alexander Schmemann. It is a simple read illuminating the liturgical tradition and its meaning and it walks the reader through each week of the Lenten journey. It is sold out by the publisher but I found it available on AMAZON.
Pilgrimage to Pascha: A Daily Devotional for Great Lent - Brand New - This unpretentious little book of meditations based on Scripture, ancient hymns, and writings from Church Fathers will nourish the souls of reflective seekers during the forty-day period of Great Lent. Authors of each meditation have delved deeply into the sins and shortcomings of their own hearts, enabling readers to share in a collective human experience - from darkness to light, from despair to hope, and from isolation to commonality in the body of Christ - as they move steadily toward our Lord’s Resurrection. Available through Ancient Faith Publishing HERE.
(3) Attending Services During the Fast
One of the most important aspects of Lent is our participation in the services. Lent is a unique marathon of services offered throughout the week including Canon of St Andrew, Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, Akathists, Saturday of Souls, Great Vespers and our course Sunday Orthros and Liturgy. (Check with your local parish to see what services are being offered during Lent). Even if attending the entire cycle of lenten worship is unattainable, we can certainly attend many of them! I would encourage you to make Lent a time for increased attendance and participation in the liturgy of the church. The needs of each family will vary, but attending at least one of each of the special services would be a great place to start!
“Because Lent is sweet”
I heard a story once about a mom who would take her precious children to as many services during Lent that they were able to attend, and after they would get home, she would hand each of them a piece of candy and say “Because Lent is sweet”. She wanted her children to have a positive association with attending lenten services. That concept has stuck with me ever since! There are a number of fun ways to do this - including the Pascha Passport booklets - in which each child can receive an icon sticker for each service they attend. It takes great effort for both adults and children to attend services, so having a sweet reminder or reward for such an effort makes for a more positive experience. I hope and pray that my children will continue to long to be in church, worshiping our Lord, and find it to be a place of refuge and peace.
Resources and Books for Engaging in the Services with Kids:
With many long services during Lent, I find that having a few resources for busy hands helps my children stay engaged in the services. We keep a small tote bag in our car that only comes out during Church services, and I replenish my supplies from time to time. Studies show that working with your hands can actually help people remember more of what they hear. This is especially true for children. Finding age appropriate and QUIET activities is key! * I found these cute tote bags : If You Don't Hear Crying Tote Bag , Theotokos Tote Bag, Little Church Bag
Here are some recommendations:
Activity Books:
Pascha Passport and Sticker Sheet by St Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church - I’ve mentioned this before, but I want to mention it again because I think having an acknowledgement of the child’s participation in services is very helpful. Much like a real passport, this small booklet has many spaces for stamps that correspond to each service attended during the Triodion season, Lent, Holy Week, and other Special “Destinations” (such as Confession, the Jesus Prayer, etc). The passport “stamps” (sold separately) are icons stickers! We’ve used these for the past few years and my girls LOVE that they get to put a sticker in their passport after each service they attend, and it is a wonderful way to encourage participation and excitement for young children. Not only are these a unique resource, but all of the money raised from this booklets goes toward funding of the Church’s Youth Program. These Pascha Passports are $2 and the sticker sheets are $1.
Liturgy Books for Kids:
A Child’s Guide to Divine Liturgy Geared towards children ages 2 to 10. This book is designed as an aid to help children navigate their way through the Divine Liturgy and learn more about the Church and our faith. The very young child will learn basic vocabulary and come to recognize the various milestones in the Divine Liturgy. For the older child, the guide includes several longer psalms, quotes, and prayers; the 12 feast icons and kontakia. You can purchase HERE.
The Divine Liturgy for Children: An Interactive Guide for Participation in the Divine Liturgy - geared towards upper elementary aged children. For a companion to this book, see The Divine Liturgy Activity Book: A Child's Introduction to the Meaning of the Liturgy
Lenten Books:
Pascha at the Duckpond by Mother Melania - geared towards ages 4-9, you can join the animals at the Duckpond as they journey through Great Lent towards Pascha. Along with them, we learn that Lent is not about the rules, but about allowing God to change our hearts through love and repentance.
Lenten Book Bundle by Potamitis Publishing - available through Draw Near Designs, a set of 6 tiny Paterikon books for the Lenten season includes: The Annunciation, St Mary of Egypt, St Lazarus, St Mary Magdalene, Holy Week, The Resurrection
Books for Toddlers:
Coloring Books:
My First Coloring Books : Great Lent for the Youngest (Only $1.95, geared for toddlers - See the whole collection HERE)
Orthodox Coloring Book - March Synaxarion (or see the whole collection HERE)
Beautiful Things: An Orthodox Coloring Book for Children (Download free coloring pages HERE)
(4) Participating in the Fast
Important elements to any fasting period in the Orthodox Church is (1) Prayer (2) Fasting and (3) Almsgiving. Find ways for your family to participate in these three things in order to make this season fruitful and as a means for our salvation. Some ways to do this as a family: Attend services, pray together daily and read the scriptures, collect food for a homeless shelter, and connect with your local parish for other opportunities to serve the needy around you. Lent can also be a wonderful opportunity to go to confession.
Source: Krista Fedorchak IG
Fasting:
Christian fasting is the most effective weapon we can have next to prayer. The two together can do wonders. One day, His disciples asked Jesus why they could not heal a boy by expelling a demon from within him. They asked, "Why could we not cast it out?" The Lord's reply was, "This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
Fasting makes us realize that we are dependent on God. We are reminded that without God, we can do nothing. It also has the potential to increase our spiritual strength, true obedience to God, and total patience with our fellow man. It assists us to take control of our appetites that involve the physical senses. We fast from food to help us build up our self control “muscles” so to speak - so that ultimately we can resist the temptation to sin and live according to God’s will.
As with all fasting, please remember that abstaining from food during this period of preparation does us no good if we do not also, as St. John Chrysostom teaches us, fast with:
… the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all the members of our bodies.
Let the hands fast, by being free of avarice.
Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin.
Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful.
Let the ear fast, by not listening to evil talk and gossip.
Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism.For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes, but bite and devour our brothers?
-St John Chrysostom
Fasting Rule
Orthodox Christians generally follow the same fast, as prescribed by the Church. We fast from meat, dairy, fish with backbones, wine and oil. On Saturdays and Sundays are Wine and Oil Days which means on these days the fast is relaxed to permit wine and oil. Of course, fasting is a spiritual discipline that should be practiced with the oversight and direction of your spiritual father. You should consult your Priest if you have any specific questions about the fasting discipline as it applies to you, and your children.
Source: Parousia Press
Fasting Resources
Lenten Nourishment Guide by registered dietitian Krista Fedorchak - Check out this FREE guide, offering practical tips for eating in a Godly and nourishing way throughout the fasting seasons
Great Lent Meal Plan 2021 by Mia Kouppa - this is a great resource for a set meal plan + she has a recipe list! If you’re wanting to take the thinking out of meal planning, this is the plan for you!
DIY Lenten Meal Planner by Sylvia of Orthodox Mom - get organized with a color coded post-it planner! She also includes a plethora of fasting recipes in this blog post as well!
Free Printable Weekly Meal Planner by Parousia Press
Orthodox Pebbles Lesson on Fasting for Kids - Explaining fasting to children can be hard, but these resources from Orthodox Pebbles make it easier and more engaging for little ones
Fasting Recipes
Parousia Press created a fasting resource guide with recommended cookbooks and bloggers:
Check out their post HERE
Prayer:
Having a prominent place in your home where you gather together as a family to pray is, in my opinion, an essential part of a Christian home. We have several places in our home with icons, but our home altar is where most of our family prayers happen. If you don’t yet have a prayer corner set up in your home, lent is a great opportunity to start one! Check out this YouTube video on how to set up a home icon corner HERE.
Generally things that we use in our prayer corner include : icons, a cross, a candle, holy water (you can ask your local Church for some), a prayer book, incense & charcoal and a censor. We also have an oil burning candle which we light for longer periods of time.
Source: Orthodox Mom
Prayer Resources
Pocket Prayer Booklet - If you don’t have a prayer book yet, I’d suggest you buy a copy of what we call “the little red prayer book” (Click Here). They are compact, inexpensive, and this is what I personally use to guide my daily prayers. Aside from morning and evening prayers, there are other great prayers in this pocket sized book including prayers for your spouse, friends and loved ones, the sick, preparing for confession and much, much more! Speak with your priest about a prayer rule.
Songs of Praise Psalter - It has become common practice to read the Psalms daily. A Psalter is a collection of Psalms. There are a number of Psalters available, but I like this one in particular because of the reflections the author Sylvia Leontaritis shares after each Kathisma. This Psalter is available to purchase through Ancient Faith Publishing
Join a Psalter Group - On her blog, Adventures of an Orthodox Mom Sylvia organizes a yearly Psalter groups for women to pray together during the 40 days of Lent. Each day we read a Kathisma (collection of Psalms) and at the end we pray for our sisters-in-Christ who are apart of the group. You can click here to sign up
Prayer Companion : Come and Abide in Me - this is relatively new item by Sylvia of Orthodox Mom. I have been using this companion as part of my prayer routine. It has journaling spaces to fill in your goals, gratitude, prayer list, and personal prayers. You can find this prayer companion on her blog here.
If you need to stock up some home prayer corner supplies, check out these places:
Almsgiving:
In Christ’s teaching, almsgiving goes together with fasting and prayer. According to St John Chrysostom, no one can be saved without giving alms and without caring for the poor. St Basil the Great says that a man who has two coats or two pair of shoes, when his neighbor has none, is a thief. All earthly things are the possessions of God. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell in it” (Psalms 24:1). We are stewards of what belongs to the Lord and should share the gifts of His creation with one another as much as we can.
Resources
Love at Lent Cards - are a set of cards with daily tasks that reinforce the Lenten values. These beautifully illustrated cards have a picture on one side and on the back is a new task to complete , perfect for kids to participate in. Tasks such as "Bring someone flower" or even “Connect with an elder”. This set includes 50 activity cards to be used during Lent. You can find them HERE.
Donate to Food for Hungry People - An organization of the Orthodox Antiochian Archdiocese- over the span of 45 years, this charity organization has had a tremendous impact throughout the world, helping to alleviate the suffering and hunger caused by poverty, war, and numberless tragedies.
Get Involved with FOCUS (Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in the US) - Every day, FOCUS opens its doors to people who are out of work, experiencing homelessness, or struggling to make ends meet. Every day, people turn to FOCUS for a hot meal, health care, transitional housing, clothing, groceries, job training, and compassionate support. You can find out more ways to be involved HERE.
40 bags in 40 days - one creative idea is each day of the fast, clean out some portion of your house. It doesn't have to be garbage bags full, it could be a sandwich bag full from one drawer. But do one bag each day and donate to charity or to those who need them.
Support Missionaries through OCMC - If you would like a Coin Box from OCMC, fill out this form HERE and they will send you one!
(5) Cultivate a Lenten Environment
In Orthodox Christian theology, we understand that the physical and spiritual worlds are transformed by the Incarnation and Resurrection of Christ. So, our environments are important! Giving attention to creating a peaceful and prayerful home is a worthy endeavor and we can use the liturgical seasons of feasting and fasting to create lovely rhythms and traditions for our families. You might consider paying special attention to cleaning out your home and keeping it tidy during Lent so your family's focus is on preparation and not consumption. And then you might have a fun, loud, crazy party to celebrate Pascha and this creates a sense of rhythm in your family's daily life instead of having all the days just run together.
During Lent, consider making changes to your environment that echo what is going on liturgically--some families cover their TV with a towel or tablecloth to remind them to limit TV during Lent, others have a big cleanout and donate items to charity. During the Paschal season, consider bringing nature indoors by having fresh flowers or greenery throughout your home for the 40 days of Pascha. There are many ways to do this, and there is no right way!
Add Beauty to Your Home
During Lent, I usually add a Lenten Prayer Print to our icon corner and display a special icon as well. Making these changes to my environment helps me focus my attention. We have collected items over the years to add to our “Lenten Collection,” and each year we add one new thing. I’m so thankful for all of the talented people in the Orthodox community who are creating beautiful items to adorn our homes and points us back to Christ. Here are a few recommendations:
Prints
The Lenten Prayer of St Ephrem by Emilias Post (pictured above)
St Ephrem The Syrian Lenten Prayer by Abigail Art Company
Floral Cross Print by Emilias Post
Lord Have Mercy Print by This and That Homestead
Pray, Fast, Give Printable Download from Etsy
Textiles/Fabrics
Avlea Folk Embroidery by Kh Krista West - Consider adding a beautiful embroidered fabric to your icon corner or as a table runner in your table. She has a collection of embroidery designs inspired by the rich and beautiful embroidery traditions of the Mediterranean including BitKit series of small projects to a Library Edition of historic designs, there's something for any level of stitcher who wants to make and enjoy these timeless designs.
Embroidery Crosses by The Cross Stitcher
Orthodox Cross Tea Towel by St Marina Marketplace
Final Thoughts
Lastly, as a reminder, none of these items I mentioned above are necessary. The task alone of creating a peaceful and prayerful home is a worthy endeavor and we can use the liturgical seasons of feasting and fasting to create lovely rhythms and traditions for our families - without the need to acquire “All the things!” Keeping our focus on giving and not consuming during Lent is a great undertaking for me, I assure you! We have collected items over the years and each year we add one new thing to our collection. I was fortunate this year to receive many of the above items mentioned for free as a collaborative effort to share my honest opinion about them with you.
Also, we choose one or two Lenten traditions to focus on each year. I don’t usually do them all! My hope is to provide you with many ideas and ways to participate in the Lenten fast, finding what works best for your family. However, keeping our focus on (1) prayer, (2) fasting, (3) almsgiving, and of course attending Divine Services is the best place to start! Everything else is icing on the cake.
What to Expect in the Future:
Be sure to follow along with me on Instagram for more Liturgical and feast day resources and monthly guides in the coming year! I share weekly reminders, stories of the saints, new resources, and how others are celebrating throughout the world! Also, consider subscribing below to receive email updates on future guides and resources. Here is what I have in store for the coming year:
Each month I’ll share a heads up on what feast days/liturgical events are happening that month so you can begin to think/plan/prepare for what’s ahead. I’ll also include simple activities and book recommendations
Currently working on a Holy Week Guide for families. And if I can pull it off, a Pascha gift guide this year as well!
Orthodox Book list for kids and families broken down by month/Feast Day so you can start building a collection with intention. Many of them will be available at your local library or audio books
Feast Day Guides for Individual feast days with more details on how to participate
Special Thanks - This guide was not a solo effort. Many hands make for light work! I wanted to give a special acknowledgement to Abigail Burke (@bandofburke) for sharing with me so many of her lenten ideas. Her organization was the springboard to my monthly feast day guides. Also a special thanks to the small shops who sent me their materials to review and photograph for this guide including: Draw Near Designs, The Keeping Company, Ancient Faith, Orthodox Pebbles, St Spyridon Orthodox Church, Kristina Wenger and Sylvia Leontaritis.
Thank you for all your support and for checking out my latest family guide. Good strength, dear friends!
-Khouria Destinie
