What is Ash Wednesday? Ash Wednesday is an important date in the Christian calendar as it marks the beginning of the Lent. For 40 days, Christians go through a period of fasting. O objective it is to remember the time Jesus spent fasting in the desert.
In practice, most simply do not eat sweets, red meats and stop drinking alcoholic beverages, instead of a literal fast.
Why is it called Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday is named after an ancient Catholic tradition. It marks the shape of a cross on the forehead of those who attend church services.
Ashes are made from palm branches blessed on Palm Sunday the previous year. The words “repent and believe the gospel” or “remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return” are spoken as the cross is being traced.
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The first known record of the practice is by Pope Urban II in 1091. He used ash to mark the beginning of Lent. However, ashes were used before that in demonstrations of repentance for sins.
The ashes have been a symbol of repentance since the king of Ninov did his penance to God, sitting in ashes.
When does Lent end?
There is some debate about this, although the most commonly accepted answer is on Holy Saturday or Hallelujah Saturday, the day before Easter.
Some places adopt the end of Lent on Maundy Thursday, as this is the end of the liturgical season of Lent. Eastern churches believe that Lent ends the Friday before Palm Sunday.
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