What is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday or the "Day of Ashes" marks the first day of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and prayer. During an Ash Wednesday Mass, the priest or pastor will place ashes, typically in the shape of a cross, on an observer's forehead and say, "You are from dust, and to dust you shall return" (Ecclesiastes 3:20).

In the Old Testament, believers used dust and ashes as symbols of repentance and/or mourning (2 Samuel 13:19; Esther 4:1; Job 2:8; Daniel 9:3). The ash used for Ash Wednesday is traditionally created by burning the remains of last year's palm leaves from Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. This mark symbolizes mourning for Christ's suffering and sharing the act of sacrifice through the observance of Lent.

While the Bible does not mention or require the observance of Ash Wednesday or Lent, they are both beautiful traditions observed within the Catholic faith and more liturgical churches to help re-center a believer's life back on Jesus Christ. Whether one chooses to observe these days is a matter of conscience (Romans 14:5-6; Colossians 2:16).

This is an easy way to figure out the date of Ash Wednesday this year.