The Catholic Church opened the solemn Lenten season leading to Easter on Wednesday without the participation of Pope Francis, who was in the third week of hospital treatment for double pneumonia.
To help Catholics live this special liturgical time and deepen their knowledge of the faith, here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about fasting and abstinence.
Pope Francis is resting after sleeping through the night with a ventilation mask as he undergoes hospital treatment for double pneumonia.