It started a lot later than Western Lent, and the Orthodox Lent is a lot more austere than the Catholic Lent in that we give up all meat and all dairy for the fullduration.
The most that can be said about these bonds is that if you (a) reach out on the maturity spectrum, (b) hold the TIPS for the fullduration and (c) hold them inside a tax-deferred account like an IRA, then you will have a positive return.