When Theodosius I made Christianity the State Religion in 380 all the pagan holidays and feasts, festivals and even temples had to be converted to Christian ones. I don’t necessarily think this was a bad thing or immoral in anyway. I mean they had to do something. So Winter Solstice became Christmas because it was traditionally around the same time and I am sure other things like that happened too. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate our saviors birth. Well anyway, one of the things I have read is that originally there was a 44 day fast in the ancient Babylonian religion that was still being observed by the Romans call the Weeping for Tammuz. It is mentioned in Ezekiel 8:13 as an abomination. The original fast and feast were pagan in origin. Tammuz was the God of Seeds and drowned in a flood but was said to rise from the dead after 44 days which they celebrated with a feast. When Rome converted to Christianity as the State religion they changed this to be the 40 day fast of Jesus I think explaining the four days off as Sundays. The Papal church currently defines Lent as the period of fasting leading up to the feast of Easter, symbolizing Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness. The Roman Lent is observed for 44 days, starting on Ash Wednesday (Feb 6th in 2008), going through the Thursday of Easter Week (March 20th 2008).