<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><base href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ash-Wednesday-Christian-holy-day"><style id="print"></style><title>Ash Wednesday | Christianity, Definition, History, Meaning, & Facts | Britannica</title><div class="original-url"><br><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ash-Wednesday-Christian-holy-day">https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ash-Wednesday-Christian-holy-day</a><br><br></div><div id="article" role="article" style="-webkit-locale: "en"; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="system exported">
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<div class="page" style="text-align: start; overflow-wrap: break-word; max-width: 100%;"><h1 class="title" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.95552em; line-height: 1.2141em; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; text-align: start; display: block; max-width: 100%;">Ash Wednesday | Christianity, Definition, History, Meaning, & Facts</h1><div class="metadata singleline" style="text-align: start; display: block; margin-bottom: 1.45em; margin-top: -0.75em; max-width: 100%;"><time datetime="2023-02-21T00:00:00CST" class="date" style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; font-size: 1em !important; font-weight: normal !important; font-style: normal !important; display: inline !important;">Feb 21, 2023</time></div><div class="leading-image" style="max-width: 100%; margin-bottom: 1.15em; line-height: 1.5em; font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 0.75rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/231883-050-597D29C2/Ash-Wednesday-celebration-Catholic-church-Chunakhali-West-Bengal-India.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop" alt="Ash Wednesday" class="" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: auto; display: block; clear: both;" data-unique-identifier=""></div><p style="max-width: 100%;"><strong style="max-width: 100%;"><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span>Ash Wednesday</strong>, in Western <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christianity" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Christianity</a>, the first day of <span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lent" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Lent</a>, occurring six and a half weeks before <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Easter-holiday" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Easter</a> (between February 4 and March 11, depending on the date of Easter). Ash Wednesday is a <a data-term="solemn" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/solemn" data-type="EB" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">solemn</a> reminder of human mortality and the need for reconciliation with God and marks the beginning of the penitential Lenten season. It is commonly observed with ashes and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/fasting" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">fasting</a>. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eastern-Orthodoxy" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Eastern Orthodox</a> churches begin Lent on Clean Monday and therefore do not observe Ash Wednesday.</p><!--[P1]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><!--[AM1]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><!--[MOD1]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><p style="max-width: 100%;">In the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-early-Christianity" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">early Christian church</a>, the length of the Lenten celebration varied, but eventually it began 6 weeks (42 days) before <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Easter-holiday" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Easter</a>. This provided only 36 days of fasting (excluding Sundays). In the 7th century, 4 days were added before the first Sunday in Lent in order to establish 40 <span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/fasting" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">fasting</a> days, in imitation of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jesus" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Jesus Christ’s</a> fast in the desert.</p><!--[P2]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><!--[AM2]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><!--[MOD2]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><p style="max-width: 100%;">It was the practice in Rome for penitents and grievous sinners to begin their period of public penance on the first day of Lent in preparation for their restoration to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/sacrament" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">sacrament</a> of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eucharist" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Eucharist</a>. They were sprinkled with ashes, dressed in sackcloth, and obliged to remain apart until they were <a data-term="reconciled" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reconciled" data-type="MW" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">reconciled</a> with the Christian <a data-term="community" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/community" data-type="MW" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">community</a> on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Maundy-Thursday" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Maundy Thursday</a>, the Thursday before Easter. When these practices fell into disuse (8th–10th century), the beginning of the penitential season of Lent was symbolized by placing ashes on the heads of the entire congregation.</p><!--[P3]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><!--[AM3]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><!--[MOD3]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><div style="max-width: 100%;"><div style="max-width: 100%;"><figure data-assembly-id="225199" style="max-width: 100%; font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.5em; font-family: -apple-system-font; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65); margin: 0px;"><div data-type="image" style="max-width: 100%;"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/10/195910-050-E69066F8/Parishoners-service-Ash-Wednesday.jpg" data-href="/media/1/38098/225199" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/10/195910-050-E69066F8/Parishoners-service-Ash-Wednesday.jpg?w=300&h=300" alt="Ash Wednesday" data-width="1600" data-height="1200" loading="eager" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0.5em auto; display: block; height: auto;" data-unique-identifier=""></a></div><figcaption style="max-width: 100%; margin-top: 0.8em; width: 100%; font-size: 0.75rem; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/10/195910-050-E69066F8/Parishoners-service-Ash-Wednesday.jpg" data-href="/media/1/38098/225199" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; margin-top: 0.25em; margin-bottom: 0.25em; text-decoration: underline;">Ash Wednesday</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p style="max-width: 100%;">In the modern <span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Roman-Catholicism" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Roman Catholic Church</a>, the ashes obtained by burning the palms used on the previous <span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Palm-Sunday" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Palm Sunday</a> are applied in the shape of a cross on the forehead of each worshipper on Ash Wednesday. The ashes serve as a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/memento-mori" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">memento mori</a> and are often accompanied with some variation of the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Together with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Good-Friday" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Good Friday</a> (which marks the crucifixion of Jesus before Easter), Ash Wednesday is an obligatory day of fasting and <a data-term="abstinence" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/abstinence" data-type="EB" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">abstinence</a>, where only one full meal and no meat are to be consumed. Although Ash Wednesday is not a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/holy-days-of-obligation" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">holy day of obligation</a>, it is traditionally one of the most heavily attended non-Sunday <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/mass-Christian-religious-service" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">masses</a> of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/church-year" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">liturgical year</a>. Worship services are also held on Ash Wednesday in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Anglicanism" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Anglican</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lutheranism" data-show-preview="true" style="color: rgb(65, 110, 210); max-width: 100%; text-decoration: underline;">Lutheran</a>, and some other Protestant churches.</p><!--[P4]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><!--[AM4]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span><!--[MOD4]--><span style="max-width: 100%;"></span></div></div></div><br><br><div dir="ltr">Reverend Dr. Carolyn Peters, National Federation Of The Blind, Ohio, affiliate, vice president, Ohio Communities Of Faith division, president, Miami Valley Chapter, Dayton, Ohio president. 1-937-657-5134,<div><br></div><div>Dr.carolyn.peters@gmail.com☺️👏🙏🤲</div></div></body></html>