74% of Americans say they typically do not observe Lent.
Three in 4 Americans (74%) say they do not typically observe Lent, while 26% participate.
Beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending during Holy Week, Lent serves as a time of preparation for the Easter celebration in many Christian traditions. The practice often involves the spiritual discipline of fasting.
The 26% who currently say they observe Lent is statistically unchanged from the 24% who said the same in a 2016 Lifeway Research study.
Catholics (59%) and Hispanics (39%) are among the most likely to say they participate in Lent. Those who rarely or never attend a religious service are the most likely to ignore Lent (89%).
Source: Most Americans Skip Lent — Lifeway Research 2025
Half (50%) of those who participate in Lent fast from a favorite food or beverage
Among the quarter of Americans who typically observe Lent, most participate in some form of fasting. Asked about seven possible means of participation, the average Lenten practitioner uses at least two methods to observe the season.
Half of those who participate in Lent say they fast from a favorite food or beverage (50%) or attend church services during the season (49%). More than a third say they fast from a bad habit (37%), give to others (36%) or pray more (34%). Around a quarter say they fast from a favorite activity (25%) or read Lenten Bible verses or devotions (22%). For 2% of respondents, observing Lent doesn’t include any of the seven options.
More than 3 in 5 Americans who observe Lent (62%) say they typically include at least one of the three fasting options during the season before Easter.
Purpose and Meaning (from Google)
- Preparation for Baptism: Historically, Lent was a crucial period for new converts preparing for baptism at Easter.
- Repentance: It is a time for the faithful to engage in acts of penance, almsgiving, and abstinence.
- Spiritual Unity: The season encourages Christians to unite themselves with the passion and temptation of Jesus.
The term "Lent" itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten, meaning "spring," referring to the lengthening of days.
