What Is Ash Wednesday?

What Is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Lenten season that marks the 40 days prior to Easter. Worshipers usually have the mark of a cross placed on their forehead from the burning of the palm branches from the previous year. Here is an excerpt from Christianity.com:
"The name 'Ash Wednesday' is derived from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of believers in the shape of a cross. The ashes are typically obtained by burning the palms blessed on the previous year's Palm Sunday. The imposition of ashes is often accompanied by the words "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," emphasizing mortality and the need for repentance.
Ash Wednesday serves as a time for Christians to reflect on their lives, confess their sins, seek repentance, and prepare spiritually for the celebration of Easter. It is a solemn day that signifies humility, mortality, and the acknowledgment of human frailty. Many Christians also engage in fasting and self-denial during the Lenten season as a way of drawing closer to God."
Although we do not typically practice the burning of branches and placing ashes on the forehead, many Nazarene Christians do participate in the fasting or giving up of certain things during the Lenten season.

I hope this helps,
Pastor Steve