Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. What to know about the 40 days of prayer
Ash Wednesday, a solemn day of fasting and reflection, marks the commencement of Lent, the most penitential season in the Christian calendar for Catholics and many other denominations.
This period signals 40 days of spiritual preparation leading up to Easter.
On this day, Christians typically attend church services focused on reflection, self-denial, and repentance. Worshippers receive ashes, often imposed in the shape of a cross on their foreheads, accompanied by the stark reminder: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” or the call to “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
This ritual underscores the transient nature of life and the importance of spiritual focus.
For Roman Catholics aged between 18 and 59, Ash Wednesday is an obligatory fast day, meaning food intake is limited to one full meal and two smaller portions. Many Protestants, particularly those within Episcopal and Lutheran traditions, also observe Ash Wednesday with similar liturgies.
In a modern adaptation, some churches in the United States have introduced “Ashes to Go,” offering the imposition of ashes in public spaces like parking lots and commuter-rail stations, catering to busy individuals unable to attend a full service. Chaplains across various denominations also provide ashes at airport chapels and other locations.
While some evangelical groups, such as Baptists, have different traditions, many Pentecostals, for instance, observe their own periods of fasting, often in January, to consecrate the year ahead. Notably, the start of Ramadan, another significant period of prayer and fasting for Muslims, may coincide with or fall within the same week as Lent this year.
Ash Wednesday initiates the Lenten season, culminating in the observances of Jesus‘ death on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter. Its date is determined by counting back 40 days from Easter, excluding Sundays. The significance of the 40-day period is deeply rooted in biblical symbolism, representing times of testing, judgment, purification, or renewal, most directly referencing Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness before his public ministry.
During Lent, the faithful commit to increased prayer, charitable deeds, fasting, and other forms of self-discipline. It is common for individuals to “give up something for Lent,” traditionally items like chocolate, but increasingly encompassing modern habits such as reducing screen time.
Many churches also host additional devotions; Catholics, for example, often engage in group meditations on the Stations of the Cross, commemorating events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion. Observant Catholics also abstain from meat on Fridays, though fish is permitted. This tradition has given rise to the “Friday fish fry” in many US Catholic parishes, blending community bonding, fundraising, and culinary tradition.
The date of Ash Wednesday is not fixed, as it is intrinsically linked to Easter Sunday, which for most Christians will fall on April 5 this year. Easter itself is a movable feast, occurring annually between March 22 and April 25, determined by an ancient formula: the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring. Eastern Orthodox Christians calculate their “Great Lent” differently, commencing their observances on a Monday – this year on February 23 – known as “Clean Monday” or “Pure Monday.” While they do not use ashes, they embark on a similar period of penance and fasting, which continues through the Friday before Holy Week, including Sundays. The dates for Great Lent are also tied to Orthodox calculations of Easter (Pascha), which typically differ from Western churches, with Orthodox Easter falling on April 12 this year.
