Observance of Great Lent in the Orthodox tradition has a profound impact on the believer’s spiritual state, fostering purification and inner transformation.

Spiritual Renewal Through Great Lent

Observance of Great Lent in the Orthodox tradition has a profound impact on the believer’s spiritual state, fostering purification and inner transformation. This season of abstinence and repentance is aimed not so much at physical restrictions as at the development of inner spiritual life, the strengthening of faith, and reunion with the life of the Church.

Firstly, Great Lent helps to calm passions and purify the inner self. As noted in one source, the fast "soothes the boiling of passions, reconciles those who have sinned with God, cleanses the body by abstaining from food, the soul by tears, the spirit by abstinence, and gives the ability to fulfill God’s desires and meet the Pure Lord in a state of bright purity" (source: link txt). Thus, observing the fast helps the believer to free themselves from internal turmoil and focus on spiritual growth.

Secondly, the fast connects a person with the history and unity of the entire Church. One text emphasizes that "A soul that lives by a living faith in Christ cannot neglect the fast. Every time you refrain from what is forbidden on fast days, you are with the whole Church. You act in complete accord and unity, just as the entire Church once did" (source: link txt). This means that by observing the fast, the believer not only perfects his personal spirituality but also participates in the collective divine pursuit of repentance and cleansing.

Finally, the true essence of Great Lent lies in turning inward to God through penitential prayer and striving towards the light. One source notes: "The fast is not about following church rules or the rhythms of the folk calendar. The main point of the fast is not food restrictions but their spiritual meaning ... there is no wise abstinence in thoughts, in words, no abstinence from desires, and therefore there is no inner essence to the fast itself. But the inner essence of the fast is, after all, the prayer, the penitential prayer" (source: link txt). In other words, spiritual abstinence helps the believer to concentrate on sincere prayer and repentance, which in turn opens the path to soul renewal and inner peace.

In summary, the observance of Great Lent within the Orthodox context transforms the spiritual state of the believer, fostering purity of thought, unity with the Church, and a deep longing for God that enriches inner life and strengthens faith.