Ash Wednesday

On Ash Wednesday, the faithful gather in a spirit of repentance to mark the beginning of the holy season of Lent. In churches throughout the world, silence and stillness accompany the austere beauty of the liturgy. Ashes, traced in the sign of the Cross upon the forehead, remind each soul: “Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return.” Through fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, the Church enters into the desert with Christ, preparing hearts for the Paschal Mystery. It is a day of humility, a summons to conversion, and the doorway to grace.