The story
- Medieval Greek · calque ofΜεγάλη Νηστεία
- English todayGreat Lent
A calque from a language with traditional Orthodox practice, where this fast is called "great" to distinguish it from the Advent and Dormition fasts, likely a calque of Medieval Greek Μεγάλη Νηστεία (Megálē Nēsteía).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.