The Church Year
What Is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the season of repentance leading to Easter. Christians receive a mark of ashes on the forehead as a sign of sorrow for sin and a reminder that our earthly life is brief: ‘dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.’ It is kept mainly in Western churches, Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and many Protestants. Orthodox Christians begin Great Lent on Clean Monday instead.
What Ash Wednesday marks
Ash Wednesday opens Lent, the forty-day season of repentance and preparation before Easter. In the service, ashes (traditionally made from the previous year’s Palm Sunday palms) are marked on the forehead in the shape of a cross, with the words, ‘Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,’ or a call to turn from sin and believe the gospel. The ashes are an ancient sign of sorrow and humility. Ash Wednesday is observed in Western churches; Orthodox Christians begin their Great Lent on Clean Monday and do not keep this day.
A call to return
Ash Wednesday is not meant to leave anyone in despair. It is honest about our need so that grace can be received as the gift it is. It begins a journey that ends not in ashes but at the empty tomb.
Find a service near you
Ash Wednesday is a humble, honest place to come as you are. You do not need to know anyone, dress a certain way, or have it all figured out. Use the live church finder to search real, welcoming churches near you, then reach out to one and ask about their service times. Whether you have been every week for fifty years or have never been at all, you are wanted exactly as you are.
Find a church near youWhat to expect if you goFrequently asked questions
- What do the ashes on Ash Wednesday mean?
- The ashes are an ancient sign of repentance, sorrow for sin, and human mortality. Marked as a cross on the forehead, they recall that our earthly life is brief and point to our need for God's mercy in Christ.
- Do all churches observe Ash Wednesday?
- It is observed mainly in Western churches, Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, and many other Protestants. Orthodox Christians begin their Great Lent on Clean Monday and do not keep Ash Wednesday.
- Do you have to be a member to receive ashes?
- Most churches that offer Ash Wednesday services welcome anyone who wishes to receive ashes. Use the church finder to find a service near you and, if unsure, simply ask the church.
Come and see
Behind every one of these days is a Person, not a performance. The living Christ is not an argument to be won but someone to be met, and he still draws near to everyone who comes to him with an open heart. You do not have to believe everything first. You are welcome to come with your questions, your grief, and your doubts, and simply see. The Gospel of John is a gentle place to begin, and it costs you nothing but a little quiet and an honest look.
Read the Gospel of JohnCome and SeeAsk for prayerJesus Christ is Lord.