ASH WEDNESDAY 1

ASH WEDNESDAY

Ash Wednesday is a Christian celebration included in the liturgical calendar, which begins the period of Lent, a time of preparation for Holy Week and Easter . It does not have a set date in the Gregorian calendar, so each year it is set 40 days before the start of spring in the northern hemisphere.

What is Lent?

Lent is a period of preparation for Easter that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday .with the celebration of the Easter Triduum. There are a total of 43 days where fasting, reflection and constant prayer are carried out by Christians; they represent the 40 days that Jesus fasted in the desert where he was surrounded by temptations from Satan. Lent includes six weeks during which the church performs the liturgical acts in the midst of deep recollection and respect, in the ceremonies the song of Gloria or the Alleluia is not used, it is not decorated with flowers and the clergy wears purple robes. Every Friday of Lent, the faithful fast which consists of not consuming protein of animal origin. Also, and in preparation for the week of passion, this same day the Holy Way of the Cross is commemorated inside the temple, remembering the path of Jesus to Calvary.

Celebrations during Ash Wednesday

The main liturgical acts of this day are the Holy Mass and the imposition of ashes on the faithful. For this, the bouquets that were used during Palm Sunday of the previous year are burned in the middle of a ritual and are secretly kept to be used on this day.

The imposition of ashes is carried out on the forehead of the faithful by the priest, symbolizing the sign of the cross, while pronouncing the following phrases that are prophecies taken from the Holy Scriptures: " Remember that you are dust and dust you will be. " convert… convert and believe in the gospel” This ash represents penance, mourning and death. It is the way of remembering by Christians that they were born from the dust of the earth and to the earth they must return. It also represents that the human being is a sinner and that this period of Lent that begins is the opportunity for repentance. It is tradition that the faithful leave the mark of the cross on their forehead until it dries and it is not washed off until it completely disappears.

Also during this day a fast is carried out by Christians that consists of not consuming meat from slaughtered animals. Others fast eating only water and bread, which were Jesus' only food in the desert.

Días Festivos en el Mundo