Ash Wednesday Explanation

Many Christians participate in Ash Wednesday events, but really studying the details and history of the day is important to fully understanding the day's meaning.

When Is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, which lasts for 40 days until Easter Sunday. Note that Sundays are not included in the 40 day count. The 40 days are symbolic of the time that Jesus spent in the desert, where he was tempted by Satan but did not succumb to evil. You can find the account of that event in the Bible.

Since the date of Easter changes on a yearly basis, you will also find that the date of Ash Wednesday changes as well.

What Happens on Ash Wednesday?

Not every Christian denomination observes Ash Wednesday, but Catholics, Orthodox churches, and some Protestant traditions do observe this day.

Ash Wednesday and Lent are not mentioned in the Bible; however, they have a symbolic purpose. On Ash Wednesday, people in the aforementioned denominations attend church services in order to receive ashes in the shape of a cross upon their foreheads.

The ashes are a symbol of a person's mortality and of sinfulness. The ashes remind the recipients of the mortality of their bodies and of their sins in the hopes that they will change. This act occurs in preparation for Easter, the most holy day of the year for Christians, when the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is celebrated.