Ash Wednesday

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.

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 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.

Many Christians across the globe will participate in Ash Wednesday this week. But what is Ash Wednesday, and what does it represent?

The Lenten season lasts 40 days, not including Sundays. Many Christians across the globe will participate in Ash Wednesday this week. But what is Ash Wednesday, and what does it represent?