This is when Lent starts in 2021 - and where the tradition of giving up indulgences comes from

Lent is an important period in the Christian calendar in the build up to Easter Sunday.

It's observed by individuals from various churches and sects of Christianity, including the Anglicans, Methodists, Reformed and Roman Catholics.

The festival is part of the church's liturgical year which includes advent in December and other major Christian holidays such as Christmas and Easter.

But what is its origins, when does it fall in 2021, how long for and how is it observed?

All those questions and more are answered below.

What is Lent?

Lent derives from an old English word 'lencten', meaning spring season, when the religious festival is observed each year.

It takes many forms but is generally a period of reflection and preparation, with many fasting food and festivities before Easter.

This can be done through prayer, penance, mortifying the flesh, repentance of sins, almsgiving and self-denial.

Few still fast for the duration of Lent, which marks the sacrifices of Jesus Christ in the days leading to his crucifixion, but it is still observed.

According to the Bible, Jesus went into the desert to fast in preparation for his ministry during which time he endured temptation by Satan.

Lent, for many, is a time for giving up certain luxuries, such as chocolate, alcohol, smoking, to demonstrate their own sacrifice and to reflect those made by Jesus.

Christians are "encouraged to find [their] own method of confronting [their] sinfulness, remembering [their] mortality, and giving thanks for the gift of salvation [they] receive through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ," according to the United Methodist Church.