
Great Lent

The Great Fast is upon us! Beginning on Forgiveness Sunday, we will spend the next seven weeks preparing for Pascha, the Feast of Feasts. There are a huge number of resources available to help you and your family have a profitable fast, and it can quickly become overwhelming. We have gathered some of the ideas here for you; pick a few of the things to do with your family this year, and maybe try some different ones next year. We hope you find some helpful activities!
General Resources
- Lent Resource Guide for Families from Ascetic Life of Motherhood
- Ways to Share Great Lent with Your Child from Antiochian Archdiocese of North America
- Journey to Pascha Poster from Illumination Learning
- Love at Lent Activity Cards from Ancient Faith
- Great Lent & Pascha Family Lesson from Illumination Learning
- Getting Ready for Lent (from 2018) from Many Mercies
- Orthodox Kids Journal Pages for Great Lent from Orthodox Education
- Great Lent Lesson from Orthodox ABC
- Keeping Lent Lesson from Orthodox ABC
- Learning Lenten Vocabulary from Orthodox Christian Parenting
- Publican and the Pharisee from Orthodox Pebbles
- Prodigal Son from Orthodox Pebbles
- Basics of Great Lent from Orthodox Pebbles
- Keeper of the Fast blog post from The Crafty Contemplative
- Personal Devotion List from Ascetic Life of Motherhood
Products & Gifts
- Figs from Thistles Lenten Planner and Study Guide and Candle from Parousia Press
- My Path to Pascha Lenten Study Guide for Kids from Orthodox Mom
- Prayer Ropes from MonastiCraft (prayer rope featured above)
- My First Coloring Books: Great Lent for the Youngest from Potamitis Publishing
- Orthodox Coloring Book: My Book of Great Lent from Potamitis Publishing
- Lenten Study Guide from Orthodox Mom
- Pascha Passports Family Resources from St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church
- Letterpress Prayer Card for the Departed by Poustinia Press
- Lenten Calendar from Draw Near Designs Marketplace
Traditions
- Lenten Psalter Group from Orthodox Mom (check back for 2023 sign ups!)
- Lady Lent (Kyra Sarakosti) Poem and Coloring Page from Orthodox Education
- Kyra Sarakosti Cookie Recipe from Orthodox Mom
- Great Lent Festal Learning Basket from Charming the Birds from the Trees
Activities
- Triodion Resources from Orthodox Pebbles
- 40 Children's Activities for Great Lent from Orthodox Mom
- 40 Days of Gratitude Journaling from Orthodox Mom
- Lenten Almsgiving Family Project from Illumination Learning
- Lenten Activities for Kids from Many Mercies
- Great Lent Printables (Calendar, Lady Lent, and Services Cards) from Many Mercies
- Lenten Memory Verse Garden Printable from Many Mercies
- Downloadable Lent Workbook for Kids from Orthodox Christian Education
- First Day of Lent Craft from The Crafty Contemplative
- Great Lent lapbook from Orthodox Pebbles
Books
- Great Lent by Fr. Alexander Schmemann (from Amazon)
- Season of Repentance: Lenten Homilies of St. John of Kronstadt from Ancient Faith Store
- Meditations for Great Lent: Reflections on the Triodion from Ancient Faith Store
- First Fruits of Prayer: A Forty-Day Journey Through the Canon of St. Andrew by Frederica Mathewes-Green
- Songs of Praise: A Psalter Devotional for Orthodox Women by Orthodox Mom, from Ancient Faith Store
- The Lenten Spring: Readings for Great Lent by Fr. Thomas Hopko
- Figs from Thistles Lenten Planner and Study Guide from Parousia Press
- A Child's Guide to Confession from Ancient Faith Store
- Great Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha from Ancient Faith Store
- Lent, Wonderful Lent from Ancient Faith Store
- Pascha at the Duck Pond by Mother Melania
- Heaven Meets Earth: Celebrating Pascha and the Twelve Feasts by John Kosmas Skinas
- From I-ville to You-ville by Mersine Vigopoulou (hard to find—check sellers for availability)
Fasting
View our dietary fasting resources here
Observing the Sundays of Great Lent
Forgiveness Sunday/Clean Week
- Confession and Kite Day from Orthodox Education
- Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete Worksheet
- Forgiveness Booklet from Orthodox Catechism Project
Sunday of Orthodoxy
- Sunday of Orthodoxy from Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
- Sunday of Orthodoxy Lesson from Dr. Pat
- Garden of the Theotokos Curriculum (has lessons for each week of Great Lent)
- Sunday of Orthodoxy activities from Orthodox Pebbles
Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
- Sunday of St. Gregory of Palamas from Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
- St. Gregory Palamas Prayer Rope Craft from Creative Hands
- Sunday of St. Gregory activities from Orthodoxy Pebbles
Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross
- Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
- Cross Decorating Craft from Creative Hands Creative Minds
- Sunday of the Cross Activity Booklet from Potamitis Publishing
- Veneration of the Cross from Orthodox Pebbles
The Annunciation
View our Annunciation resources here
Sunday of St. John Climacus
- Sunday of St. John Climacus from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
- St. John of the Ladder Lesson from Creative Hands Creative Minds
- Sunday of St. John Climacus Activity Booklet from Potamitis Publishing
- Sunday of St. John activities from Orthodox Pebbles
Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt
- Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
- St. Mary of Egypt for All Ages—a retelling, reprinted by Frederica Mathewes-Green
- St. Mary of Egypt Lesson from Creative Hands Creative Minds
- St. Mary of Egypt Craft (Turn Life Around) from Orthodox Education
- Orthodox Kids Journal Page for St. Mary of Egypt from Orthodox Education
- Life of St. Mary of Egypt Printable from Many Mercies
- Repentance and Temptation from Orthodox Pebbles