When is Ash Wednesday 2024?
ASH Wednesday marks the first day of Lent, a time of religious observance.
Here, we look at the meaning behind the celebration and what people do on this day.
What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday is the day after Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day. It also marks the first day of Lent.
It is always a Wednesday, obviously, but the date is dependent on when Easter is.
Ash Wednesday always occurs six and a half weeks before Easter.
It is an important day in the Christian calendar as it marks the first day of fasting, repentance, prayer, and self-control that will be required during Lent.
READ MORE ON LENT
Its official name is "Day of Ashes", due to the mostly Catholic practice of rubbing ashes in the sign of the cross on people's foreheads.
It is not a holy day of obligation in the Catholic church's calendar.
How is Ash Wednesday celebrated?
During Mass (for ) or worship service (for Protestants), the priest or pastor will usually share a penitential and reflective sermon.
The mood is solemn - many services will have long periods of silence and worshippers will often leave the service in silence.
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Usually, there is a responsive passage of scripture, usually centered around confession.
Attendees will experience communal confession and moments where they are prompted to confess sins silently and pray.
After all of this, the congregation will be invited to receive the ashes on their foreheads.
Usually, the priest or pastor will dip his finger into the ashes, spread them in a cross pattern on the forehead, and say, “From dust you came and from dust you will return.”
Usually, the Ash Wednesday ashes are created by burning palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration.
When is Ash Wednesday 2024?
Ash Wednesday falls on February 14, 2024 — the same day as the beloved Valentine's Day.
The last day of Lent was traditionally on Maundy Thursday, which takes place on March 28, 2024.
However, most Christians carry on until Easter Saturday, which falls on March 31, 2024.
This equates to 40 days of fasting minus Sundays.