Ash Wednesday, ashes on foreheads - what it's about

Posted by Bible Probe on March 01, 2006 at 15:44:36:

Non-Catholics may see Catholics around town with ashes on their foreheads. Not to worry. It is not a popish plan to take over...

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent for Western Christian churches. It's a day of penitence to clean the soul before the Lent fast. Roman Catholic, Anglican, and some other churches hold special services at which worshippers are marked with ashes as a symbol of death, and sorrow for sin.

The name "day of ashes" probably dates from at least the eighth century. On this day all faithful Catholics according to ancient custom are exhorted to approach the altar before the beginning of Mass, and there the priest, dipping his thumb into ashes previously blessed, marks the forehead. The minister or priest makes the sign of the cross with ashes on their foreheads, saying the words:

"Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return."

The ashes used in this ceremony are made by burning the remains of the palms blessed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year. In the blessing of the ashes four prayers are used, all of them ancient. The ashes are sprinkled with holy water and fumigated with incense.

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