Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday History

Ash Wednesday marks the commencement of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, penance, and fasting leading up to Easter. During the service, worshippers receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. This act serves as a visible symbol of human mortality and penance, thus reminding individuals of their need for repentance and forgiveness.

The tradition of marking with ashes has roots in ancient rituals but its inclusion as the central theme of the liturgical observance, Ash Wednesday, is believed to have originated in the 8th century. In the United States, Ash Wednesday holds considerable importance for many Christians as they begin their Lenten journey. It is not a public holiday, but church services are held in many places. Schools, offices, and businesses remain open but accommodations are often made for those wishing to attend mass. The day often sees increased church attendance as even those who may not regularly attend church partake in this ritual.

In America, Ash Wednesday observances typically to follow similar patterns. Services held on this day usually include Scripture readings, hymns, a sermon, and the imposition of ashes. The ashes are usually obtained by burning the previous year's Palm Sunday palms, mixed with oil, forming a paste. While traditionally intended for baptized Christians, many U.S. churches offer ashes to anyone willing, regardless of their denomination. Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, is determined by the date of Easter. It typically falls between February 4 and March 11, depending on when Easter Sunday falls.

Top 10 Facts for Ash Wednesday in 2026

• The ashes applied to the forehead are traditionally created by burning the palm fronds blessed during the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration, representing a symbolic link between the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and his eventual sacrifice.
• Although the season of Lent is famously associated with a 40-day fast, the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter actually spans 46 days because Sundays are considered feast days and are excluded from the official penitential count.
• For observers between the ages of 18 and 59, the day is marked by a black fast consisting of only one full meal and two smaller snacks that together do not equal a full meal.
• While it is one of the most attended services in the liturgical calendar, Ash Wednesday is not considered a Holy Day of Obligation, meaning attendance is a voluntary act of devotion rather than a mandatory requirement of the faith.
• The practice of abstaining from meat on this day specifically excludes the flesh of warm-blooded animals, which historically led to the popularization of fish as the primary protein and the origin of community fish fries.
• The ritual of marking the forehead with a cross became widely popularized in the United States as recently as the 1970s as part of a broader movement to incorporate bodily practices and physical symbols into spiritual life.
• In his 1930 poem titled Ash Wednesday, the author T.S. Eliot used the liturgical themes of the day to explore the personal struggle of maintaining faith in an age of secular uncertainty.
• The custom of using ashes as a sign of penance predates the formal holiday, as early Christians who had committed "grave sins" were often required to wear sackcloth and ashes while being temporarily barred from the church.
• While most commonly associated with the Catholic Church, the imposition of ashes is also a significant tradition for Anglicans, Lutherans, and Methodists, and it is generally open to anyone regardless of their specific religious affiliation.
• The somber tone of the day is often contrasted with the German romanticist painting Ash Wednesday by Carl Spitzweg, which depicts a lonely clown in a cell reflecting on the end of the Mardi Gras revelry.

In the News and Trending in the US for Ash Wednesday

Top things to do in the US for Ash Wednesday

• Fast during Ash Wednesday to commemorate Jesus fasting for forty days in the desert. Catholics are specifically instructed to not eat meat and are only permitted to eat one full meal. However they may have 2 snacks in the form of some food in the morning and evening.
• Make fiber-rich vegetarian versions of popular dishes. Some good ideas are Veggie Burgers, Vegetarian Chili and salads with Tempeh. The fiber will help keep you feeling full - useful if you fast for the rest of the day!
• Go to your local parish to get ashes and reflect on your own mortality and sinfulness. Non-Christians are also welcome to get ashes.
• Rent a movie that reflects on Mortality or Repentance. Some suggestions age: Les Miserables (2012), Dorian Gray (2009), What Dreams May Come (1998), Flatliners (1990) and The Seventh Seal (1957).
• Discuss mortality, repentance and the meaning of life with your friends or with a church group.