Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent and is the first of the forty days of Lent leading up to Easter. In the first centuries of the Christian Church, Lent began on Quadrigesima Sunday (the first Sunday of Lent) but the celebration of Ash Wednesday was introduced in the seventh century to ensure Lent consisted of 40 days exactly. The forty days refer to the time Jesus spent in the desert after being baptised in the Jordan by John and before beginning his public ministry (cf. Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13). The ashes used in the liturgy on Ash Wednesday are traditionally made from the palms used on Palm Sunday the previous year. Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence. Abstinence from eating meat applies to everyone age 14 and above. Fasting applies to everyone age 18-59. During the season of Lent, Christians traditionaly engage in three practices:
Resources for the season of Lent | |
Ash Wednesday Mass | |
The blessing and distribution of ashes takes place after the homily at Mass celebrated on Ash Wednesday. The penitential rite is omitted - so the Collect is said directly after the sign of the cross, greeting, and welcome/introduction. Other texts, including prayers more suitable for children, bidding prayers, a dismissal prayer, alternative readings, and a dramatized version of the Joel reading, can be found in the lay-led liturgy below. Prayer texts and readings for Ash Wednesday Mass (MS Word) | |
Lay-Led Ash Wednesday Liturgy | |
![]() | Ashes may be blessed and distributed outside Mass. This would normally be led by a priest but may be led by a lay person. The Blessing and Distribution of Ashes is done in the context of a Liturgy of the Word and follows the pattern:
The following is an alternative prayer for the blessing of ashes which may be better suited for use with children and young people:
Alternative readings The following texts could be used in place of the Joel reading. The gospel should always be the one assigned for Ash Wednesday (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18). Tobit 4:16-17, 19-20 Hosea 14:2-10 Ezekiel 36:22-28 2 Corinthians 5:18-6:2 Ephesians 4:17-24, 29-32, 5:1-2 Texts These printable resources include all the prayers and readings for a lay-led Ash Wednesday liturgy, together with alternative readings, bidding prayers, and a dramatized version of the Joel reading. Ash Wednesday Liturgy (MS Word) |
Ideas for Liturgy | |
![]() | Burning of palms Cauldron of ash Purple cloth Banners Stones |
Liturgical Music | |
The following hymns and songs are susggested as suitable for Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent:
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Texts | |
Fasting Fast from hurtful words and speak kind words. | |
Anything but dust "Ash Wednesday is full of joy . . . The source of all sorrow is the illusion that, of ourselves, we are anything but dust." | |
Images | |
Ash Wednesday Graphic 1 | |
Ash Wednesday Graphic 2 | |
Ash Wednesday Graphic 3 Image source unknown | |
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Ash Wednesday Graphic 5
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Ash Wednesday Graphic 7 Arthur Nead | |
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Ash Wednesday Graphic 12 | |
Video | |
![]() | Ash Wednesday Explained |
![]() | Ash Wednesday Movie
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![]() | Lent in 3 Minutes
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![]() | Pope Francis
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Ashes | |
Ashes can be obtained at minimal cost from church suppliers:
A small quantity of ash goes a very long way. |
The Jesuit Institute - Ash Wednesday (2024)
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