What is Great Lent?

Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure:

Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous Churches:

Great Lent, or the Great Fast, is the most important fasting season in the church year in the Eastern Orthodox Church , Oriental Orthodox Churches, Byzantine Rite Lutheran Churches and the Eastern Catholic Churches, which prepares Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, Pascha.

Great Lent shares its origins with the Lent of Western Christianity and has many similarities with it. There are some differences in the timing of Lent and how it is practiced, both liturgically in the public worship of the church and individually.