Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, March 5, 2025. Lent is a period of prayer, fasting, and giving for Christians. Ashes represent death and repentance, reminding Christians of human mortality
Ash Wednesday is a holy day for Christians. It is included as part of Lent, and for many Christians, it marks the official start of Lent.
On this Ash Wednesday, you can get your forehead blessed with ashes at Mass or a prayer service. These ashes are a reminder that we need to repent.
You might be wondering why we get ashes on our foreheads for Ash Wednesday. Throughout history, ashes have been a powerful outward symbol of interior repentance and spiritual awareness.
Here are some examples of ashes in the Bible:
"Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:6)
"Daughter of my people, dress in sackcloth, roll in the ashes." (Jeremiah 6:26)
“I turned to the Lord God, to seek help, in prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” (Daniel 9:3)
The Early Christians used ashes to show repentance as well, but not just on Ash Wednesday!
Catholics have been receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday since the time of St. Gregory the Great. In 1091, Pope Urban II encouraged the entire Church to use ashes on Ash Wednesday.
For we Catholics, today as Ash Wednesday 2025 begins our Lenten season. Lent is the time before Easter when We prepare to commemorate Jesus’s Resurrection through prayer, penance, and fasting.
If you want to get blessed with ashes this Ash Wednesday, be sure to check with your local parish. Most churches celebrate Mass or have a prayer service on Ash Wednesday, and all are welcome to attend and be blessed with ashes.
