Three weeks before Lent proper begins we enter into a period of
=pre-Lenten= preparation. It is a constant feature of the Orthodox
tradition of worship that every major liturgical event--(Christmas,
Easter, Lent)--is announced and prepared in advance. Knowing our lack
of concentration, the "worldliness" of our life, the Church calls our
attention to the seriousness of the approaching event, invites us to
meditate on its significance. Thus, before we can =practice= Lent, we
are given its meaning.
This preparation includes four consecutive Sundays preceding Lent, each
one of them dedicated to some fundamental aspect of repentance.