The practice of marking worshippers’ foreheads with ashes in the shape of a cross is one of Christianity’s most visible rituals. Ash Wednesday is important because it marks the start of the Lenten period leading up to Easter, when Christians believe Jesus was resurrected. The ashes symbolize both death and repentance.
The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are meant to represent dust. When receiving ashes on their foreheads, parishioners hear the words, “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This is a reference to what God says to Adam when exiling him from the Garden of Eden.On Ash Wednesday, the saying is a reminder to be humble in the face of mortality.
The history of Ash Wednesday is less than 1000 years old. It’s never mentioned in the Bible, but there is a verse in the Book of Daniel that links fasting to ashes, and some scholars believe this is the origin of the Lenten practice. Ash Wednesday didn’t gain mainstream popularity with Christians in the U.S. until the 1970s.
Not all Christians observe Ash Wednesday — the day is probably most closely associated with Catholicism, but there are many Christian sects that recognize it, including Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and even some Baptists. There are also Christians that refrain from Ash Wednesday celebrations — Mormons, Evangelicals, and Pentecostal Christians are some of the denominations that don’t take part in the holy day.
I ‘ve mentioned this in past years, but a lot of parishes have started offering “ashes to go” on Ash Wednesday. In some places, priests and pastors will station themselves in public places, like street corners, parking lots or metro stops and administer ashes to whoever asks to receive them. You don’t need to be a church leader to administer ashes. Some churches give parishioners the option to take packets of ashes home with them to apply to family members or loved ones who couldn’t make it to church.
There are rules about what you can eat on Ash Wednesday because it’s a day of fasting…. it’s interesting that McDonald’s sells more Filet-o-fish sandwiches on Ash Wednesday than any other day of the year.
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