Here's a calendar I created to help explain how to count the 40 (+4) days of Lent.
Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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Ordinary Time--lasts until midnight
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*Ash Wednesday
[Fast & Abstinence]
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Thursday After Ash Wednesday
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Friday After Ash Wednesday [Abstinence]
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Saturday After Ash Wednesday
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||
**Sunday of the 1st Week of Lent
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
[Abstinence]
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7
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**Sunday of the 2nd Week of Lent
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9
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10
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11
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12
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13
[Abstinence]
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14
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**Sunday of the 3rd Week of Lent
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
[Abstinence]
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21
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**Sunday of the 4th Week of Lent
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23
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24
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25
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26
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27
[Abstinence]
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28
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**Sunday of the 5th Week of Lent
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30
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31
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32
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33
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34
[Abstinence]
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35
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** Palm Sunday
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37
Monday of Holy Week
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38
Tuesday of Holy Week
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39
Wednesday of Holy Week
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***40
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Good Friday
[Fast and Abstinence]
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Easter Vigil
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Holy Thursday
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||||||
Easter Sunday
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*The 40 is not an exact number. Some people call the first 4 days of Lent “Lent’s Doorstep.” Counting this way, they are a part of Lent, but are not counted when tallying 40 days. Lenten penance is still observed during these days. Counting this way, day #1 is Sunday of the 1st Week of Lent. Other people get to the number 40 by skipping the Sundays, but including Holy Thursday and Good Friday.
** Sundays are still considered part of Lent (the priest still wears purple), but since each person’s penance is self-directed (and we don’t usually fast on Sundays), many peopel give themselves a break from their penances on Sundays.
*** Lent ends when the Mass of the Last Supper begins on Holy Thursday night.
Later, I'm going to post something about the details of penance.
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