Christians and Muslims begin this February 18, 2026, a period of faith marked by deprivation and the intensification of prayers.
Muslim and Christian faithful begin this Wednesday the fast of the month of Ramadan for some and Lent for others. For the former, the National Moon Sighting Commission gave the signal Tuesday evening via a press release indicating that the fast of the month of Ramadan 2026, corresponding to the Hijri year 1447, begins this Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The announcement followed the appearance of the crescent moon sighted in the city of Yagoua, ending the search undertaken since 4 p.m. during the day. For the latter, the Catholic liturgical calendar had already planned in advance for the start of Lent this Wednesday.
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During the next 30 days, Muslims will practice fasting between dawn and dusk. Between these two times, they intensify prayers, the teachings of the Holy Quran, as well as the practice of almsgiving. At nightfall, they often break the fast collectively. At the end of this month of penance, the Muslim community will celebrate the feast of Ramadan, one of the greatest festivals of Islam. This will be shortly before the end of Lent for Christians.
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Christian Lent, for its part, extends over a period of 40 days, excluding Sundays which are considered feast days. During this period, Christians emphasize penance, the intensification of prayer, forgiveness, and sharing—a set of traditional exercises that converge toward conversion. This time is marked by the use of purple as a liturgical color, the meditation on the Stations of the Cross every Friday, as well as the entry into Holy Week, the final week before the celebration of Easter, the resurrection of Christ.
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