Ash Wednesday starts the Season of Lent
In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the start of the season of Lent, when Christians prepare for Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday by observing a period of fasting, repentance, and spiritual discipline.
Because Easter is a movable feast, the date for Ash Wednesday varies from year to year. Ash Wednesday falls between February 4th and March 10th.
Eastern Orthodox churches observe Lent, or Great Lent, for the 6 weeks or 40 days preceding Palm Sunday. Thus Lent for these churches begins on a Monday, so Ash Wednesday is not observed.
Shrove Tuesday: Pancake Day
Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, is the day before Lent starts, that is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday is a day of penitence, and a day of celebration as the last chance to feast before Lent begins.
In the UK, and many other countries, Shrove Tuesday is known as Pancake Day when a last meal with ingredients like sugar, fat, and eggs is consumed, ingredients which are traditionally restricted during Lent.
Meaning of Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, which for Christians is a time for self-examination and penitence in preparation for Easter. The name "Lent" is derived from the Saxon work "lengten-tide" which means the lengthening of the days and the coming of Spring.
The length of Lent, 40 days, mirrors the lengths of the fasts of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, which are all reported as 40 days, a number used in the scriptures to mean a long time.
Ash Wednesday Service
The name of the Holy Day, "Ash Wednesday", is derived from the ceremony where ashes are placed on the foreheads of the worshipers at a Mass as a sign of repentance. The priest, minister, or in some cases an officiating layperson, marks the forehead of each worshiper with black ashes in the shape of a cross. Worshipers traditionally leave the cross on their foreheads until they wear off.
The ashes used are normally obtained from burning the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday. The ashes are mixed with oil, often the Oil of the Catechumens, which is one of the sacred oils used during a Baptism, to form a paste. The ashes are blessed before use, often involving the use of Holy Water.
According to the Bible, ashes were used in ancient times to express mourning. The act of dusting yourself with ashes was the penitent's way of expressing sorrow for sins and faults.
Observation of Ash Wednesday
The Roman Catholic Church regards the imposition of ashes as a sacramental rather than as a sacrament. That means, they depend on the faith of the recipient, rather than being effectual in and of themselves. So ashes, being sacramentals, may be given to anyone who chooses to receive them, whereas sacraments are normally reserved for church members.
The observation of Ash Wednesday in the Roman Catholic Church includes fasting, abstinence from meat, and repentance, a day of contemplation of one's transgressions. Other churches also mark Ash Wednesday by a day of fasting. In the medieval period, Ash Wednesday was a day of penitential confession that followed fasting and the remittance of tithe.
Dates of Ash Wednesday, the Start of Lent 2011, 2012, 2013
- 2011: March 9
- 2012: February 22
- 2013: February 13
Christian Festivals and Holy Days
For details of other Christian Festivals and Holy Days, see Christian Festivals and Holy Days.
Catholic Holy Days and Holidays
For details of other Catholic Holy Days and Holidays, see Catholic Holy Days and Holidays.
Sources:
Mark Tibbits - A professional writer and educator who writes about Astrology, South Asia/China, the UK, the British Royal Family, and Religion.
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