What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday 2019 – The celebration of Ash Wednesday sets the beginning of the Lenten Season. It marks the start of the 40-day observation of the Roman Catholic Church of Lent. After forty days, the Lenten Season will end with a celebration of Easter, which always falls on Sundays; hence, it is dubbed as Easter Sunday.
During Ash Wednesday church masses, the priest or minister rubs ashes on the forehead of those who attended the mass. The ash on the forehead has the form of the sign of the cross.
It is believed that the use of ashes is a symbol of survival and remorse. According to the ancient rite, Ash Wednesday is a form of true repentance to which transformed sinners offered themselves to canonical penance. Ash Wednesday is perceived in all Fridays of the Lent.
According to About Christianity, Lent is being observed by Catholics through fasting and repentance. Aside from the Roman Catholics, Lent is also being observed by the churches of Methodist, Anglican, Lutheran and Presbyterian.
It is said that the ashes are being used to make the sign of the cross on the forehead in order to remind people that they were made by God out of ashes. Upon rubbing the ash on the forehead, the priest or the minister says to the person – “Remember that Man is from dust and from dust you shall return.”
The Catholic Organization said that ashes are also a symbol of penance, humility and sacrifice – something that entails a lot for the Season of Lent. Where do the ashes come from and how was it made for the observation of Ash Wednesday? The ashes used during Ash Wednesdays came from the burned palms which were used in the celebration of Palm Sunday of the previous year. The ashes were blessed with Holy Water and incense.
The Catholic Cultural Organization added that Ash Wednesday is the time to further internalize God’s love and mercy and for people to value penance, conversion and fasting. The ritual is a symbol of God’s humility and unconditional love for his people. It shows God’s loyalty to the people and his greatness among all other things in this world.
Although Ash Wednesday is said to be the mark for the beginning of Lent, people are taught that it should not only be in Lenten Season that they make sacrifices to God. Every day should be a celebration of love and glory for God.
When is Ash Wednesday in 2019?
March 6
