February 19, 2024 — Why Are There No Baptisms or Weddings in Lent?

As a matter of practice, many Lutheran churches do not schedule weddings or baptisms during the season of Lent. Woven within this practice are some practical reasons, some tradition, and some adherence to the seasons of the church.

Let’s begin with the practical reasons. Lent is a time of transition in the church season. Coming off the season of Epiphany, we move into the season of Lent, which brings with it extra services, including Wednesday noon meals and services and Wednesday evening services and dinners, along with other practices that highlight the season. As such, as I talk to my colleagues during the season of Lent, most of them are very busy with the added services and other responsibilities. Therefore, to throw into the mix the idea of scheduling and preparing for a wedding just seems to be adding fuel to the fire of the business of the season. So just speaking from the “trying to keep our sanity” perspective, most pastors would not want to add a wedding into the mix of the Lenten schedule. And, as Lent is a season of penitence, to have a celebration like a wedding just seems to be giving the wrong message. There are plenty of other months to celebrate weddings.

Next comes tradition. Lent was traditionally a time where new converts to the Christian church would be concluding a three-year process of education preparing for their baptism at Easter. Since we think of Lent as a time of preparation, preparation for baptism, preparation for Good Friday and the other days of the Triduum, the church would not schedule baptisms during this season. Currently, each church decides how long the process is for preparing new members for joining the church, and as such new members are taken into the church throughout the year. The same is true for confirmation – some churches confirm during Pentecost, others wait until Reformation. However, the tradition holds that Lent is not a time to hold baptisms.

Will your pastor hold a baptism or a wedding during the season of Lent? I don’t know – you will have to ask them.

Pastor Dave