Ash Wednesday

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For other uses, see Ash Wednesday (disambiguation).

Ash Wednesday

A cross of ash on a worshiper's forehead on Ash Wednesday
Observed by	Western Christians
Type	Christian
Date	As early as February 4 to as late as March 10
2007 date	February 21
2008 date	February 6
2009 date	February 25
Observances	Service of worship or Mass Marking of an ash cross on the forehead
Related to	Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras Lent Easter

In the Western Christian calendar, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays). It falls on a different date each year, because it is dependent on the date of Easter; it can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.

The 'ashes' used are gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous years' Palm Sunday ceremonies are burned and are then, in the liturgical practice, particularly at All Saints' Church in Norfolk, mixed with the Oil of the Catechumens, which is one of the oils used to anoint all those who are baptised. This paste is used by the Priest, who presides at the Mass, to make the sign of the cross, firstly upon his own forehead and then on each of those present, who kneel before him at the altar rail, as he recites the words 'Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return'.

At Masses and services of worship on this day, ashes are imposed on the foreheads (or tonsure spots, in the case of some clergy) of the faithful. The priest, minister, or in some cases officiating layperson marks the forehead of each participant with black ashes in the shape of a cross, which the worshiper traditionally retains until washing it off after sundown. The act echoes the ancient Near Eastern tradition of throwing ash over one's head to signify repentance before God (as related in the Bible). The priest or minister says one of the following when applying the ashes:

Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return. (Latin: Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.)

—Genesis 3:19

Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.

—Mark 1:15

Repent, and hear the good news.

—Mark 1:15

"Ash Wednesday" by Carl Spitzweg: the end of Carnival

The ashes used in the service of worship or Mass are sacramentals, not a sacrament. The ashes may be prepared by burning palm leaves from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebrations. They are blessed according to various rites proper to each liturgical tradition, sometimes involving the use of Holy Water. In some churches they are mixed with light amounts of water^[1] or olive oil^[2]^[3], which serve as a fixative.

In most liturgies for Ash Wednesday, the Penitential psalms are read; Psalm 51 is especially associated with this day.^[4] The service also often includes a corporate confession rite.

In some of the free church liturgical traditions, other practices are sometimes added or substituted, as other ways of symbolizing the confession and penitence of the day. For example, in one common variation, a small card or piece of paper is distributed to the congregation on which a person is invited to write a sin she/he wishes to confess. These small cards are brought forth to the altar table where they are burned.^[5]

In the Roman Catholic Church, ashes, being sacramentals, may be given to any Christian ^[6]^[7] as opposed to Catholic sacraments, which are generally reserved for church members, except in cases of grave necessity.^[8]^[9] Similarly, in most other Christian denominations ashes may be received by all who profess the Christian faith and are baptized.^[10]

In the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is observed by fasting, abstinence from meat, and repentance—a day of contemplating one's transgressions. The Anglican Book of Common Prayer also designates Ash Wednesday as a day of fasting. In other Christian denominations these practices are optional, with the main focus being on repentance. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Roman Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are permitted to consume only one full meal, which may be supplemented by two smaller meals, which together should not equal the full meal. Some Roman Catholics will go beyond the minimum obligations demanded by the Church and undertake a complete fast or a bread and water fast. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are also days of abstinence from meat (for those Catholics age 14 and over), as are all Fridays in Lent. Some Roman Catholics continue fasting during the whole of Lent, as was the Church's traditional requirement, concluding only after the celebration of the Easter Vigil.

As the first day of Lent, it comes the day after Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), the last day of the Carnival season. The origin of the name "carnival" is disputed. One theory states that the word comes from the Late Latin expression carne vale, which means "farewell to meat", signifying that those were the last days when one could eat meat before the fasting of Lent. Other sources, however, suggest that the name comes from the Italian carne levare or similar, meaning "to remove meat", since meat is prohibited during Lent. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "Carnival" is derived from Latin carnem levare (removal of the meat) or carnem laxare (leaving the meat).

1 Biblical significance
2 Dates
3 Denominations observing Ash Wednesday
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Biblical significance

Ash Wednesday is a time for repentance and it marks the beginning of Lent. Ashes were used in ancient times, according to the Bible, to express penitence. Dusting oneself with ashes was the penitent's way of expressing sorrow for sins and faults. An ancient example of one expressing one's penitence is found in Job 42:3-6. Job says to God: "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (c. 5-6, KJV) Other examples are found in several other books of the Bible including, Numbers 19:9, 17, Hebrews 9:13, Jonah 3:6, Matthew 11:21, and Luke 10:13.

However, some Christians who do not celebrate Ash Wednesday say that the practice is not consistent with Scripture and is of pagan origin.^[11] They usually cite Matthew 6:16–18, where Jesus gave prescriptions for fasting: "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (NRSV) These groups argue that Jesus warned against fasting to gain favor from other people and that he also warned his followers that they should fast in private, not letting others know they were fasting. For these reasons, some Christian denominations do not endorse the practice. Others, however, point out that this very passage from Matthew is the one, not coincidentally, that is appointed by the Revised Common Lectionary to be read on Ash Wednesday. They might also clarify that the ashen Cross on the forehead does not represent the fast, but the mortal condition of human existence.

[edit] Dates

Ash Wednesday fell on February 6 in 2008. In future years Ash Wednesday will occur on these dates:

Historical notes: The earliest date Ash Wednesday can occur is February 4 (in a non-leap year with Easter on March 22), which has only happened in 1598, 1693, and 1818. The latest date is March 10, which occurred in 1943. Ash Wednesday has never occurred on Leap Year Day (February 29), which will not happen until 2096; the only other years the third millennium will have Ash Wednesday on February 29 are 2688, 2840, and 2992.