Welcome to Septuagesima70 - 2026 !

The Angelus (Millet, 1859)

“Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.” - 1st Epistle of St John 2:15

“Therefore at this season let us betake to us, as some addition to the accustomed severity of our holy servitude, special prayers and abstinence from food and drink..” - Rule of Saint Benedict (Chapter XLIX, Concerning the Observance of Lent)

Welcome to Septuagesima70 - 2026 ! We’re so glad to have you with us as we undertake to rediscover the ancient and venerable ascetical practices of the Church, which are all too needed in our modern era.

As we approach Septuagesima Sunday (Feb 1, 2026) – the first day of this year’s program – we joyfully begin our journey toward Easter. This ancient pre-Lent season is a time of spiritual preparation, reviving the Church’s tradition of prayer and sacrifice. Even Christ Himself “prayed and fasted in the wilderness” before His ministry, reminding us of the power of these practices. In the words of St. Paul, “I chastise my body and bring it into subjection, lest… I myself should be rejected”. And so we run our race with determination: “You can do this! Let us chastise our body so as to win the prize…to rise with Him this Easter”. With humility and hope, let us encourage one another to serve the Lord in this sacred season.

Program Overview

The Septuagesima70 program runs from Feb 1, 2026 through Holy Week. All the prayers and meditations are freely available on our website – no sign-up or fee is required. Simply visit the Septuagesima70 page each day (on your computer or phone) to find the Morning and Evening prayer texts and a short daily meditation. Whether you follow from home, on mobile, or with a small group, you have all you need at your fingertips. Feel free to invite friends and family too – everyone is welcome to join us in this season of grace. Remember, this program is completely free for all, so there is nothing to purchase or register for – just the willingness to follow along each day.

Spiritual Practices

The heart of Septuagesima70 is living Lent with intention. Throughout these weeks we will gently increase our penances as we draw nearer to Holy Week. In practice, this means adopting a few simple disciplines each day:

Daily Meditation & Prayer: A short meditation (from Fr. Hamon’s classic Lenten meditations) is provided each morning. We also encourage praying the Angelus, morning and evening prayer, and the Rosary daily.

Small Penance: Offer one small sacrifice each day.

Almsgiving: Consider creating a small money box to collect a few coins for the poor during Lent.

Weekly Colloquy: Each week we’ll have a brief online group talk to explain the coming penances and share encouragement.Friday Fasting:

We keep meatless Fridays during this time as a common discipline.Martyrology: Each evening we’ll include the day’s Martyrology reading, uniting our prayers with the saints.

These practices are meant to draw us closer to God, not to overwhelm us. The goal is steady progress, not perfection.

Septuagesima70HARD (Advanced Option)

For those who have completed Septuagesima70 in previous years and are looking for an extra challenge, we offer an optional Septuagesima70HARD track. This advanced program follows the full traditional fast. If you are interested in Septuagesima70HARD, please contact me directly via Telegram at @FrWithoos.

Contact and Blessings

You may message me on Telegram (@FrWithoos) at any time with questions or requests for guidance. I do read all messages, but kindly ask for your patience if my replies are slow – I receive many notes during Lent.

May God bless your efforts and fill you with grace in this Septuagesima season.

Fr. Withoos