Lent is a period of preparation for Easter, marked by penance, fasting, and conversion. It begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts until Holy Thursday, encompassing six Sundays that are not counted in the 40 days of Lent. Each of these Sundays has a special name and significance, representing celebration rather than penance, as Sunday is traditionally considered a day of resurrection and joy in the Christian faith.

The article elucidates the reason why Sundays are exempt from the 40-day count of Lent. If Sundays were included, Lent would surpass the traditional 40 days. Sundays are celebrated as days of the resurrection of Christ, thus not viewed as days of penance. Consequently, Fridays are marked as days of penance as they commemorate the crucifixion of Christ. The distinction between the two days illustrates the duality of Christian observance—celebration on Sundays versus contemplation and penance on Fridays.

In Croatian tradition, each Sunday during Lent has its own name. The article outlines this tradition, where the first Sunday following Ash Wednesday is known as Clean Sunday. Each subsequent Sunday carries its own designation and reflects the broader Christian narrative surrounding the themes of sacrifice, redemption, and resurrection, which are central to the Lenten season and the lead-up to Easter.