Lent is a Season of reflection and repentance. Christians use the Season of Lent to prepare for Easter and rededicate themselves to Christ.
The season of Lent is purple to symbolize penitence and royalty. During Holy Week (the last week of Lent) the decorations are red to symbolize the martyrdom of Christ. Red days include Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday. Good Friday is traditionally black, a symbol of sadness.
Lent is the period of forty days before Easter that begins with Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter. In the Anglican church, we do not include Sundays in our count of forty days since Sunday is the day of the Resurrection. The forty days of Lent reflect Jesus' withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days.