With Fat Tuesday behind them, Christians across the world today will begin observing Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and prayer leading up to Easter.

Many Christians, including students and staff at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niles, are giving up something for Lent — like a favorite food or drink — to imitate the 40 days Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert.

“This is kind of our going out into the desert to establish this relationship with our Lord,” said St. Mary’s Principal Sharon Gregorski.

One of the things St. Mary’s students are all giving up for Lent is morning basketball.

Instead of playing, the students will spend that time quietly reflecting on what they can do to be a better person.

“Am I going to pray more or am I going to be kinder to my classmates, my teachers, my mom and dad?” said Gregorski. “It really does change the atmosphere in the morning.”

St. Mary’s student are also being taught the value sharing with the community what is gained by giving something up. For instance, if a person gives up eating cookies, they could donate the money that would have been used to purchase cookies to a worthy cause, like a local food pantry.

“How are you going to make that sacrifice become real for you and to help others?” Gregorski said. “That’s what we are asking — that these works of self denial go out for the common good.”

The Lenten celebration begins today at St. Mary’s with the celebration of Ash Wednesday mass. During services, ashes burned at last year’s Palm Sunday are used to mark a cross on members’ foreheads.

Gregorski said it is done “to remind us that we do belong to Christ.”

“This happens throughout all Catholic Churches across the world — it is a universal celebration in the Catholic Church,” she said.

St. Mary’s students will also be making a prayer chain over the next 40 days. It will be composed of individual links chained together with a prayer on each chain. It will be hung in the school hall.

“It will be a sign and a symbol to them that all of these prayers are being united in this school and prayers with the whole church to try to improve the world,” Gregorski said.

In addition to abstaining from certain things, Gregorski said Lent is a time when people are encouraged to do more for others, like volunteering.

“It is a special time,” she said.