One of the main dates in the Christian calendar is Good Friday, also known as Good Friday. The day marks the crucifixion of Christ after being judged by the Jewish Sanhedrin and the Roman Senate, and is part of the final days of Holy Week. The week begins on Palm Sunday, which ends Lent — a 40-day period that prepares for the celebration of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection — beginning on Ash Wednesday, after Carnival.
Preparation allows us to remember and celebrate the Way of the Cross or Via Crucis, which consists of the path that Jesus Christ took carrying the cross until he was crucified. The practice originated in the 4th century, when Christians went to Jerusalem and followed the journey of Christ’s Passion. From the 17th century onwards it became popular throughout the world, being remembered annually by Christian communities during Lent and Holy Week.
On the recommendation of the Catholic Church, the period is reserved for carrying out penances, mainly on Fridays, and especially focused on food, which may include fasting or abstinence from any food. According to the Code of Canon Law, a set of laws that govern the Church, fasting is a “form of penance that consists of deprivation of food”, while abstinence “consists of choosing a simple and poor diet”. But, after all, why can’t you eat red meat?
Father José Ulisses Leva, from Capela Sion, in the Higienópolis neighborhood, in São Paulo, graduated in theology and philosophy, doctor in Church History from the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome-Italy) and professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC -SP) explains why the consumption of red meat in this preparation is restricted. “The Solemnity of Easter, in fact, is fundamental for Christians. In the Catholic Church, it is restricted to not eating red meat: on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Red meat reminds us of the body of Jesus Christ”, says the professor.
In the Catholic liturgy, Leva points out, the number of days is also a reference to Jesus’ 40-day pilgrimage period in the desert, when, after being baptized by John the Baptist, he fasted, was tempted by the devil three times and resisted. Lent is the period in which the church unites with the mystery of Jesus in the desert, an opportunity to reflect on the passion and death of Christ.
In 2024, Lent began on Wednesday, February 14th, and ended on March 28th. Passion Friday takes place today, the 29th, and Easter — Christ’s resurrection — on Sunday, March 31st.
Lent menu
Nutritionist Maria Clara Santana, graduated from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), highlights that not consuming red meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday does not cause harm to health and suggests alternatives. “In nutritional terms, there is no harm to health from this abstinence, since it is something specific and it is a food that we can find substitute foods that offer similar nutrients and can be consumed during this period”, she explains.
“Red meat is part of the protein food group, replacement can occur with other foods from the same group such as chicken and fish, with fish being the most used and guided by the church during this period”, adds the specialist.
For believers who swap red meat for chicken or fish, the nutritionist points out the benefits of the food for adults and children. “Proteins, the main component of these foods, play a fundamental role in growth, organ constitution, transport of vitamins and even in the formation of hormones. In addition to offering a range of important nutrients for the proper functioning of our body, such as B vitamins, iron and especially fish, they also offer essential oils, such as omega 3, which is so important for cardiovascular health”, she highlights.
(*Under the supervision of Felipe Andrade)
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