The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on March 2, 2022. This forty day season is a time when Christians prepare their hearts and reflect more deeply on their baptismal call to continuing conversion through the disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Masses throughout the season of Lent emphasize the baptismal and penitential aspects of Lent so that Catholics and catechumens (“elect”) can prepare themselves for the celebration of the sacraments of initiation at Easter. The season of Lent concludes during the day of Holy Thursday (April 14, 2022).

Holy Week begins with Passion/Palm Sunday on the weekend of April 9-10, 2022 and culminates with the Great Easter Vigil on Saturday, April 16, 2022. In the Diocese of St. Petersburg, the Easter Vigil may not begin before 8:00 p.m. and it is during this celebration where the Elect (the unbaptized) who have been preparing throughout all of Lent are fully initiated into the Catholic faith through the reception of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.

The fifty days from Easter Sunday (April 17, 2022) to Pentecost (June 4-5, 2022) are celebrated as one feast. The entire Easter season is considered one “great Sunday” and the first eight days make up the octave of Easter and are celebrated as solemnities of the Lord.

The following resources are provided so parishes may adequately prepare for the Lent and Easter seasons:

• 2022 Lent & Easter Guidelines (bilingual)
• 2022 Lent, Triduum & Easter Guide with Reconciliation Service (English)
• 2022 Cuaresma, Triduo y Pascua Guia con Reconciliación de muchos penitentes (Spanish)
• 2022 Starting Time for the Easter Vigil (bilingual)
• 2022 The Ascension of the Lord (bilingual)
• The Disposal and Replacement of the Paschal Candle