Ash Wednesday

2023 - 2 - 21

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Image courtesy of "Dailyleader"

A guide to Ash Wednesday and Lent - Daily Leader (Dailyleader)

Lent begins 46 days prior to Easter Sunday. The 40-day season — not counting Sundays — is marked by repentance, fasting, reflection and ultimately celebration.

After a period of personal confession and prayer, the congregation is invited to receive the ashes on their foreheads, administered by the priest or pastor in the shape of a cross. The mood of the service is typically solemn, with long periods of silence and reflection. But many may not know what Ash Wednesday is, and why Lincoln County residents may be seen with ash on their foreheads in the shape of a cross.

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Image courtesy of "The Irish Sun"

When is Ash Wednesday 2023?... (The Irish Sun)

ASH WEDNESDAY is the first day of Lent, a time of religious observance.Here, we look at the meaning behind the celebration and what people do on this.

How is Ash Wednesday celebrated? Ash Wednesday comes the day after ASH WEDNESDAY is the first day of Lent, a time of religious observance. When is Ash Wednesday 2023? It is not a holy day of obligation in the Catholic church's calendar. What is Ash Wednesday?

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Ash Wednesday 2023: When is Ash Wednesday? Know the date ... (Hindustan Times)

Ash Wednesday 2023: Here's all you need to know about Ash Wednesday - the first day of Lent (a 40-day period of preparation and fasting before Easter).

Holy Thursday - the celebration of Jesus's last supper and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday is a part of the Holy Week which ends on Easter Sunday. On Ash Wednesday, priests apply ash on the forehead of each person coming to the Church, saying - 'Thou art dust and unto dust thou shall return'. Believers in Christ around the world observe Ash Wednesday as a time for prayers, acts of charity, and mortifications. Traditionally Lent begins on the Monday of the seventh week before Easter and ends on a Friday that is nine days before Easter, according to Britannica.com. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent, a 40-day period of preparation and fasting before Easter. This year, Ash Wednesday falls on February 22.

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Image courtesy of "Sky HISTORY"

'Remember that you are dust': The history of Ash Wednesday (Sky HISTORY)

Ash Wednesday is an important date in the calendar for millions of Christians as it marks the beginning of Lent and falls 46 days before Easter Sunday.

Usually, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is a day of indulgence and revery (and In Iceland, Lent and Ash Wednesday is considered a real time of celebration as well as reflection. Ash Wednesday, however, is often considered a day of fasting, and believers will limit their food intake across the day. In the context of Ash Wednesday, believers visit their church or a dedicated Ash Wednesday ceremony and receive the ashes. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. Ash Wednesday is a traditional event in the build-up to Easter and marks the beginning of Lent.

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What is Ash Wednesday? Everything you need to know about the ... (Fox News)

The holy holiday is meant to open up Christians to spiritual reflection and to connect with God through communal fasting and prayer. Ash Wednesday occurs ...

However, the Eastern Orthodox begin their Lenten season on a Monday rather than Wednesday. Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, Baptists, and Methodists are the denominations within the Western Christian world that recognizes Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday occurs approximately six weeks before Easter Sunday — the resurrection of the Christian savior and begotten The main practice of Ash Wednesday is to place ashes on the foreheads of each member of a Catholic congregation. The overall purpose of Ash Wednesday is to honor the 40 days Christ spent in the desert by fasting and practicing self-control. The overall purpose of Ash Wednesday is to honor

Ash Wednesday: A Prayer for Lent as Derry Diocese preparations ... (Derry Journal)

Ash Wednesday marks the start of the Lenten season and traditionally in the Catholic faith in Ireland this is observed by receiving ashes – from the Palm ...

STEELSTOWN: Mass times on Ash Wednesday at Our Lady of Lourdes Steelstown will be at 7.45am, 10am and 7pm. ST MARY’S CREGGAN: Mass times at St Mary’s Church in Creggan will be at 7am, 10am and 7.30pm. ST COLUMBA’S LONG TOWER: At St Columba’s Long Tower Church, ashes will be blessed at the 7.00am Mass and distributed at the 7.00am, 10.00am and 7.30pm Masses. This is accompanied by the words 'Dust you are and to dust you shall return’, a quite from the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament. HOLY FAMILY: At Holy Family Church, Ballymagroarty ashes will be distributed at 10am and 7.15pm Masses. St EUGENE’S CATHEDRAL: Mass times for Ash Wednesday at St Eugene’s Cathedral are 8.00am; 10.00am; 1.00pm and 7.30pm.

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Image courtesy of "Economic Times"

What is Ash Wednesday? Here's all you need to know about the holy day observed by Christians (Economic Times)

Ash Wednesday is a significant religious observance for Christians worldwide, as it serves as a time for spiritual introspection and a way to connect with God through communal prayer and fasting. It is observed about six weeks before Easter Sunday, which ...

The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). The church permits young and elderly Catholics to have one full meal and two smaller meals on Ash Wednesday. The start of Lent is marked by one of the most significant services during Roman Catholic mass. Within the Western Christian world, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, Baptists, and Methodists are among the denominations that recognize Ash Wednesday. According to the Bible, Jesus was tempted by Satan during this time before he began preaching. It is observed about six weeks before

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Seven Things to Know about Ash Wednesday (Archdiocese of Toronto)

Michelle Brylowski is Associate Director, RCIA and Liturgical Formation, for the Office of Formation for Discipleship. Below, she helps us prepare for Ash ...

While it is not a Holy Day of Obligation, Ash Wednesday is one of two universal days of fasting and abstinence from meat (the other day is Good Friday). No, Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation. Spending time in quiet reflection is always a good way to open one’s self to the Holy Spirit, at work in and through this sacramental rite. Sacramentals are objects or actions that are set apart or blessed by the Church in order to prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. This symbolic action creates a visible and tangible link between the season of Lent, and its purpose in preparing us for the commemoration of the passion and death of Christ, and our celebration of Christ’s resurrection at Easter. In the early centuries of the Church, when penance was a very public act, penitents were sprinkled with ashes to identify to the community as someone who was doing penance.

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What is Ash Wednesday and why do Christians wear ashes and ... (Peoria Journal Star)

If you're unfamiliar with the Christian holiday, the celebratory ritual has been observed for centuries and continues to be a major part of Christian faith ...

It is believed that many Christians keep the ashes on their forehead throughout the day as a witness to their faith. While Ash Wednesday is not a [holy day of obligation](https://www.britannica.com/topic/holy-days-of-obligation), it is the most commonly attended service on the Christian calendar for non-Sunday services. [brittanica.com](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ash-Wednesday-Christian-holy-day), the early Christian church observed Lent over a six-week period or 36 days with fasting except for on Sundays. Therefore, while the word is absent in the Bible, the reality of Lent is woven throughout the whole of Scripture, as we have discovered." The Bible commands a lifestyle of worship and devotion that looks considerably like Lent. [britannica.com](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ash-Wednesday-Christian-holy-day). Serious sinners and penitents began a public penance on the first day of Lent. But not all Protestant believers. [@ChrisFSims](https://twitter.com/ChrisFSims). [uscatholic.org](https://uscatholic.org/news_item/how-to-answer-some-common-ash-wednesday-questions/#:~:text=A%3A%20No%20one%20is%20required,her%20face%20after%20the%20ritual.). [brittanica.com](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ash-Wednesday-Christian-holy-day). What to know about DST?](https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/2023/02/14/daylight-savings-2023-when-does-the-time-change/69891466007/) [Where do the ashes for Ash Wednesday come from?]

Ash Wednesday - Newsroom (Wagner College Newsroom)

The Imposition of the Ashes will be available in Kairos House from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Students and staff can come throughout the day to receive ashes.

and 1:30 p.m. The Imposition of the Ashes will be available in Kairos House from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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What is Ash Wednesday? Here's what to know as Catholics and ... (USA TODAY)

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, an important time for Catholics and Christians leading up to Easter.

"Say yes to other things that are that are important, whether it's serving others, engaging in prayer or what have you." Johnston calls Lent a "period of purification and enlightenment." On Ash Wednesday, worshipers are also supposed to fast, allowing themselves to have one meal during the day. It may appear odd, but it is a mark people that practice Catholicism, as well as Christianity, receive at mass on Ash Wednesday, one of the "most popular and important holy days" in the religion. Ash Wednesday is always six and a half weeks before Easter. After a person receives their ashes, they aren't required to leave it on or take it off following Mass, but people typically leave them on for the rest of the day.

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Participate in Ash Wednesday services, Feb. 22 - Marquette Today (Marquette Today)

Wednesday, Feb. 22, is Ash Wednesday, the start of this year's season of Lent. Christians mark the start of their Lenten disciplines of prayer, ...

— Chapel of the Holy Family Campus Ministry will be offering a variety of services on Ash Wednesday. Christians mark the start of their Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving by receiving ashes upon their foreheads — the mark of conversion of heart.

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Ash Wednesday 2023: What is its significance in the Christian ... (Independent.ie)

Ash Wednesday is a significant day on the Christian calendar, denoting the beginning of the repentant period of Lent which precedes Easter.

Ash Wednesday occurs exactly 46 days before Easter Sunday, which is a moveable feast. Palm Sunday occurs on the Sunday before Easter Sunday, and commemorates Christ's entry into Jerusalem days before the Last Supper. Easter Sunday is always held on the first Sunday after a full moon following the Spring Equinox.

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Ash Wednesday Fasting rules: Can you eat meat during Ash ... (MARCA.com)

Christians fast and receive their ashes on Ash Wednesday as a form of penance, which is carried out in the Bible through abstinence, fasting, rest, ...

The main reason behind this law is that the meat is a symbol of the flesh. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday must be observed by Latin Catholics in accordance with church policy. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are required fasting days for Catholics.

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Ash Wednesday: What does it mean, can you eat meat and why we ... (Irish Mirror)

Ditching the booze or chocolate in the run-up to Easter might feel like a sacrifice these days but previous generations had it tougher.

In Waterford, singletons were made to sit on a log or get tied to it before being dragged through the city. From the 1800s, Ireland went in for serious abstinence. Even babies didn’t get a free pass. The last night of indulgence before fasting is Shrove Tuesday – known as Shrovetide – and is rooted in the world “shrive”, which means to be absolved of sin. Most would recognise the “40 days and 40 nights” period as reference to the time Jesus spent in the wilderness a told in the gospels,. The ashes placed on the forehead of Catholics today represents mortality, with the dictum: “You are dust and to dust you shall return.”

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Image courtesy of "National Catholic Reporter"

Why Catholics need Ash Wednesday (National Catholic Reporter)

Ashes are seen during Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception March 2, 2022, in Portland, Maine. (CNS/Courtesy of Diocese of ...

We like to see Jesus as the liberator, the fighter against injustice, and he is, but that is not the dominant theme in the Gospels. I was too young to know the word "solipsistic" but I would come to recognize later that this focus on what we do, instead of what God does, is a hallmark, perhaps the hallmark, of late 20th- and early 21st-century spirituality. But there is something to what Paul said to us at Mass a couple of weeks back: "When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom. It speaks to our yearning to grow closer to Jesus Christ and him crucified, mindful that he alone can conquer sin and death, that he has in fact already conquered sin and death. I would learn that the vow of poverty is every bit as important as the vows of chastity and of obedience, and that all three were intermingled in Christ in a way that actually freed him and therefore freed those who choose to follow him most radically. I would recognize that Joel Osteen and his "prosperity Gospel" is the most fraudulent expression of Christianity since Gnosticism. And we sense that the transcendent God of the universe is very close to us, especially when we repent. The people of God know we need to repent. When I was growing up, our CCD teacher one year told us that instead of giving something up for Lent, we were going to do something positive. Today is Ash Wednesday, arguably the most distinctively Catholic day of the year. Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, but it always draws larger crowds than any celebrations, save Christmas and Easter. Ashes are seen during Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception March 2, 2022, in Portland, Maine.

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Image courtesy of "National Catholic Register"

Evelyn Waugh, Ronald Knox and the 'Great Brotherhood' of Ash ... (National Catholic Register)

COMMENTARY: 'The little black smudge on the forehead,' says Evelyn Waugh, seals Catholics as 'members of a great brotherhood who can both rejoice and ...

He continues: “One grows parched for that straight style of speech in the desert of modern euphemisms. There is this, written in an essay titled “The American Epoch in the Catholic Church,” published in Life magazine in 1949. Given those drunken Lenten Sundays, Waugh may seem not to have gotten the idea of Lenten discipline. He didn’t say much more about this, except to note that the Church “incorporated paganism,” rather than banishing it. He does remind the students of the Reformation, which smashed up the Church in England. “On Ash Wednesday morning you indulge in a curious ceremony,” he says. Knox didn’t write much on Ash Wednesday and Lent either, as far as I can find, even in the three thick volumes of his collected sermons and talks. The convert priest Ronald Knox wrote best sellers and appeared in the major newspapers and on the BBC, as well as writing dozens of Catholic books. His wonderful Slow Motion books on the Mass, the Creed and the Gospel began as talks to the girls after Sunday Benediction. Eight days after that, he notes “I have kept my Lenten resolution to eschew gin and visit the church daily,” but doesn’t mention the drugs. You might say he was the Catholic C.S. ... My Lenten resolution to start work on Helena has not come to much.” (Laura is his wife and Helena his biography of the Emperor Constantine’s mother, said to have discovered the True Cross.

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