What is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Catholic Church and marks the beginning of a season of repentance, fasting, and prayer. It occurs 46 days before Easter, and its name comes from the practice of marking the foreheads of the faithful with ashes.

During Ash Wednesday Mass or a service, a priest or deacon applies ashes in the shape of a cross on each person’s forehead while saying one of two phrases:

• "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

• "Repent, and believe in the Gospel."

The ashes are typically made from the palm fronds used in the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration, burned and blessed by the priest. The act of receiving ashes serves as a public symbol of humility and repentance, acknowledging human mortality and the need for spiritual renewal.

Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence for Catholics:

• Fasting means eating only one full meal, with two smaller meals that do not equal the full meal combined.

• Abstinence involves refraining from eating meat on that day.

While Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation, many Catholics attend Mass or a special service to start their Lenten journey. It's a reminder of the need for penance, conversion, and spiritual preparation leading up to Easter.

Mass Times

Wednesday the 5th of March

• 12 P.M.

• 5 P.M.

• 7 P.M.

Service Times