The Great Fast
Entering Lent with heart and heritage
By Michael Antoon
Lent is more than just a season on the Church calendar; it is a call to renewal. For Christians around the world, it is a time when we step back from the noise of daily life and hear again the voice of God inviting us to grow closer to Him. Each year, we are given this gift—the Great Fast (Soma Raba)—to pause, reflect, and walk with Christ toward His Passion and Resurrection.
While our ancestors in the villages of our homeland approached this season with customs unique to their time, their faith remains a foundation for how we, too, can enter into Lent with both heart and heritage.
Fasting
The Great Fast begins in the Chaldean Church on the Monday following the First Sunday of Lent, serving as a significant reminder that the journey we undertake is not one of sorrow alone, but of hope and expectation. Fasting is one of the pillars of this holy season. Traditionally, our ancestors fasted with great seriousness, most abstaining from meat and dairy. Some fasted until midday, while others extended their fasts further. The discipline of fasting and giving something up was not just a physical challenge or punishment but a spiritual practice, reminding the faithful of their reliance on God. Today, Chaldean Catholics are called to fast from meat on Fridays and during the first, middle, and last weeks of Lent. Many choose to give up something they enjoy as well.
However, fasting is not just about food, it is about purifying the heart. We are called to fast from sin—from anger, gossip, pride, and greed. Fasting becomes fruitful only when it leads to inner transformation. As St. John Chrysostom reminds us, “What good is it if we abstain from birds and fish but bite and devour our brothers?”
Prayer
Prayer is another cornerstone of Lent. It is through prayer that we enter into the silence of the desert with Christ. Our ancestors gathered in the church, lifting their voices in supplication, seeking God’s mercy. Today, we continue this tradition. Many attend weekday Masses or the Stations of the Cross each Friday, reflecting on the suffering Christ endured for our salvation.
Using this opportunity to walk with Jesus as He carries His cross brings our faith to life. Personal prayer also deepens during Lent—whether through the Rosary, the Psalms, or listening for the Lord’s voice, we are invited to rediscover the power of being in His presence.
Alms
The third essential element of the season is almsgiving. Lent is a time to look beyond ourselves and see Christ in the poor, the sick, and the suffering. Our ancestors in the villages shared what little they had, ensuring no neighbor went without. Today, we are called to continue this spirit of generosity.
Whether through donations to the Church, supporting charities, or helping a struggling family, acts of mercy reflect the love of Christ and unite us more closely to Him.
Fasting and almsgiving are deeply connected to the call to love and mercy. His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, reminds us in his Lenten Pastoral Letter from 2024: “Fasting is a time to practice the commandment of love and mercy.”
Jesus Christ preferred mercy over sacrifice…This is reflected in the words of the Prophet Isaiah:
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless and poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?” (Isaiah 58:6-7)
الصوم زمن لتطبيق وصيةّ المحبة والرحمة. وقد فضل يسوع المسيح الرحمة على الذبيحة، ذلك برفع الجدران التي تفصلنا عن الاخرين، والعطاء السخي لمساعدة الاخوة المحتاجين كما جاء في توصيات النبي أشعيا: زأَلَيسَ الصَّومُ الَّذي فَضَّلتُه هو هذا: حَلُّ قُيودِ الشَّرِّ وفَكُّ رُبُطِ النِّير وإِطْلاقُ المَسْحوقينَ أَحْراراً وتَحْطيمُ كُلِّ نير؟ أَلَيسَ هو أَن تَكسِرَ للجائِعِ خُبزَكَ وأَن تُدخِلَ البائسينَ المَطْرودينَ بَيتَكَ وإذا رَأَيتَ العُرْيانَ أن تَكسُوَه وأَن لا تَتَوارى عن لَحمِكَس (أشعيا /58 ).7-6
These words call us to reflect on our call to almsgiving, ensuring our faith is not isolated from our actions. True prayer and fasting lead to love in action—lifting up the poor, welcoming the stranger, sharing our bread with the hungry, and clothing the naked.
Village Traditions: Lent in Telkeppe
These spiritual practices are the foundation of Lent, but for our forefathers in the village, Lent was also a communal journey. Fr. Michael Bazzi, in his book “The Life of Tilkepnaye” and from his interview with then-seminarian Junior (now Father John) Jwad on the Chaldean Voice Radio, offers us a glimpse into the traditions of Lent in the great village of Telkeppe.
Fr. Bazzi explains that in Telkeppe, beginning on the Second Sunday of Lent, a series of weekly pilgrimages and festivals, known as ‘Sherawatha,’ became a tradition. Each Sunday was dedicated to a particular saint and their shrine in or near Telkeppe. The Second Sunday honored Mar Daniel, with villagers traveling to his shrine to the west outside of the village. The Third Sunday was dedicated to Boukhtsaada, south of Telkeppe in the Shango neighborhood. The Fourth Sunday celebrated Mart Shmuni, in the neighborhood of Mart Shmuni (Abbo/Sitto). The Fifth Sunday honored St. John the Apostle. The Sixth Sunday was for Saint Joseph, in the Kizy neighborhood. Finally, the Seventh Sunday commemorated the Forty Martyrs (Arbeeni) at a shrine to the north of the village.
Fr. Bazzi recalls that after the High Mass (Raza Raba), villagers would travel to these shrines, with men and women often walking separately. Sellers of nuts and other goods would gather near the sites. Families carried food to share, and a special tradition emerged for those preparing for marriage. The family of the groom-to-be would bring a pot of ‘Paqota Sha’oothta,’ or yellow barley, known as Sheelanih, to be shared in the yard of the shrine. This barley would, of course, be made with onions, without any meat.
Upon arriving at the shrine, priests would lead prayers and teach the Catechism to the children and faithful, preaching on both Lent and the saint being commemorated that day. Residents of the neighborhood hosting the shrine would often prepare food to share. These gatherings were not just social events but a true reflection of the deep bond between faith and community.
Lent as a Gift
As we enter into this holy season, we can draw strength from the example of those who came before us. Lent is not meant to be a burden; it is a gift. It is an opportunity to reset our hearts, to strip away what distracts us, and to remember that our true joy is found in Christ. We are invited to embrace fasting, prayer, and almsgiving as a pathway to renewal.
Let us fast with purpose, pray with sincerity, and give with generosity. Let us walk together, as our ancestors did, toward the promise of the Resurrection.
Author’s Note: I would like to personally thank Fr. Michael J. Bazzi for his dedication in preserving our heritage and traditions through his many publications on the beloved village Telkeppe and the Aramaic/Chaldean Language.