On Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026, the Protestant Lenten campaign "7 Weeks Without" begins. Until April 6, under the motto "Feeling! Seven Weeks Without Harshness," it invites participants to consciously experience Lent. The focus is on compassionate interaction: perceiving the pain of others, offering support, and discovering new ways of being together. Harshness can manifest itself in many ways in everyday life: in harsh words, in situations that hurt us or leave us speechless. Often, we put on our own armor to protect ourselves—and yet realize how much this distances us from one another. The "7 Weeks Without" Lenten campaign invites us to take a different path in 2026. Further information is available at https://7wochenohne.evangelisch.de/ [Photo: Jodie Griggs / Getty Images]