Why Do Catholics Use Ashes on Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday is the yearly beginning of the period of Lent in the Catholic calendar, a period which culminates with Easter, a celebration of the resurrection of Christ. Lent is a traditional time of penance: the ashes signify repentance and are a reminder of mortality. Catholics have observed Ash Wednesday for more than 1,000 years.
Other People Are Reading
-
Origin
-
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Ash Wednesday is first mentioned in the Gregorian Sacramentary, which dates to the eighth century. It is referred to there as "dies cinerum," or the day of ashes. It traditionally marks the beginning of Lent, a period of fasting and repentance, but there is disagreement as to when this period began to be observed. It is mentioned by church fathers as early as the fifth century, but St. Irenaeus, an earlier father writing in 190 A.D., seemed to know nothing about it.
Significance
-
Ashes are a symbol of penance and help develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice, according to Catholic Online. They were used by early Christians as a show of public penance for the commission of grave faults. The practice of using ashes may have been borrowed from the Jews, who used them in times of mourning, and probably dates earlier than the eighth century. The allusion to one's mortality is clear in the words of the priest as he anoints the faithful: "Remember that you are dust, and into dust you shall return."
-
Lent
-
Lent is the 40-day period before the celebration of Easter, not including Sundays. Since Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first full moon of spring, Lent occurs at a different time every year. It is traditionally a period of abstinence and moderation, and traditional Catholics foreswear the consumption of meat during this period. In the Middle Ages and before, meat consumption was prohibited throughout the Lenten period, but in more recent times, this prohibition has been relaxed somewhat.
Popular Customs
-
In some places, the day before Ash Wednesday is celebrated with merrymaking and indulgence in order to "prepare" the faithful for the extended period of abstinence that is about to begin. This day is called Mardi Gras, which means "Fat Tuesday", and is a major festival observed in some traditionally Catholic localities, most notably New Orleans and Brazil. In the Republic of Ireland, the spirit of abstinence extends to the use of tobacco, and Ash Wednesday is designated as National No Smoking Day.
Misconceptions
-
Not only Catholics observe Ash Wednesday. It is observed by Methodists, Lutherans, Anglicans and Wesleyans, as well as by the Church of the Nazarene and some non-Catholic churches in Africa and India. The Eastern Orthodox Church, on the other hand, does not celebrate Ash Wednesday, but rather Clean Monday, which occurs on the seventh week before the observance of Easter.
-
References
- Photo Credit Catholic Cemetary image by Terrance Gartland from Fotolia.com
