It’s the first day of Lent, and Catholics as well as Anglicans from all over the capital have commemorated the day in service.

With this year’s message being, “Walking with Jesus,” Bishop Drexel Gomez sent the nation a relatively timely message to be mindful in being more “Christ-like” in their actions.

“This year is walking with Jesus to Easter, and what we have done is issued a preliminary paper which was circulated to the parishes and the diocese and that will be followed up between this period to December when we begin the New Year, every month there will be something issued to help us in going forward with Jesus, so they can participate in this project,” the bishop said after giving holding the annual midday service at St. Agnes Parish.

With so many people excited about the six-week fast, the Bahama Journal took to the streets to talk to just about all Anglicans, and Catholics from different walks of life to have a better understanding of what Lent means to them, and what they’ve committed themselves to do for the 40 days.

Godfrey Burnside, Meteorologists for JCN news said he doesn’t intend on giving up anything, as much as he plans on making more time for the things that are most important.

“I don’t do the giving up, I try to expand what I’m doing at this time in visiting the sick and the shut in, and trying to give some sort of resort to that person on a monthly basis,” Burnside said.

Adrian Archer of St. George’s Church said he plans on spending more quiet time with God,

“For me it means that I have to be a little bit more meditative in my way, and a little bit more solemn in the way I carry out my liturgical life,”

Mrs. Ferguson, a sixth grade teacher of St. Cecilia’s School says they have planned an opportunity for the entire school to utilize Lent in giving to the less fortunate.

“Over this 40-day period we plan to have a collection where we will have the children sacrifice little monies each day where they would give, and at the end of the 40-day period we will be able to give that to an organization where we can serve those that are less fortunate,” she said.

Lent is recognized as a solemn religious observance, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending six weeks after.

The period is spent on simple living, prayer, and fasting in order to grow closer to God.