Christians Observe Ash Wednesday, Start of Lent

Christians around the world observed Ash Wednesday on Wednesday, marking the start of the 40-day Lenten season that culminates in Easter Sunday on April 5. The day, observed by Roman Catholics, Protestants, and other denominations, emphasizes penance, reflection, and spiritual preparation through fasting, prayer, and acts of charity.

During Ash Wednesday services, clergy apply ashes to the foreheads of participants in the shape of a cross, symbolizing human mortality and repentance. The traditional phrase recited is "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," drawn from the Bible, or "Repent and believe in the Gospel." The ashes, made from the burned palms of the previous year's Palm Sunday, serve as a sacramental reminder of life's fleeting nature and the call to humility and renewal. Services took place in cathedrals, churches, and even public spaces like parking lots and commuter stations, where some clergy offered "Ashes to Go" for those with busy schedules.

Lent, which excludes Sundays from its 40-day count to honor them as "mini-Easters," draws inspiration from Jesus' 40 days of fasting in the wilderness after his baptism. The practice dates back to at...