Yesterday\u2019s blog discussed Tuesday. Today we\u2019re going to talk about Wednesday \u2013 specifically, Ash Wednesday. Today, Catholics, and many other Christians, will have ashes applied to their foreheads in the shape of a cross. The ashes symbolize penance, mourning and mortality. The ashes are made by burning the blessed palms that were distributed the previous year on Palm Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent which is celebrated for 40 days leading up to Easter. But if you take a look at a calendar, you\u2019ll notice that the time between Ash Wednesday and Holy Saturday is 46 days. Sundays are not included in Lent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditionally, people, especially Catholics, choose to eat fish, not meat, on Fridays during Lent \u2014 but \u2014 there are some interesting exceptions to the rule\u2026
In 2006, several American bishops gave a special dispensation to eat meat on Friday during Lent because St. Patrick\u2019s Day fell on a Friday and it is traditional to eat corned beef for his feast day.
A couple of years ago, the National Bishop\u2019s Conference approved the consumption of alligator on Friday, because alligator is considered to be in the fish family.
In the 1600s, a group of monks in France allowed Puffins to be considered fish, since their natural habitat was as much terrestrial as aquatic. So the bird could be eaten on Fridays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Republic of Ireland, Ash Wednesday is also National No Smoking Day, too. Since quitting smoking can be very hard, it has been tied in with giving up vices and pleasure for Lent.\u00a0
So today is Ash Wednesday \u2014 don\u2019t tell people that their foreheads are dirty.
Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.\u00a0
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Yesterday\u2019s blog discussed Tuesday. Today we\u2019re going to talk about Wednesday \u2013 specifically, Ash Wednesday. Today, Catholics, and many other Christians, will have ashes applied to their foreheads in the shape of a cross. The ashes symbolize penance, mourning and … Continue reading