It's not a normal Wednesday today. February 22, 2023 is being observed as "Ash Wednesday". Wondering what it is really about? Well, let us tell you that it is a holy day celebrated by Christians.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. The holy holiday is meant to open up Christians to spiritual reflection and to connect with God through communal fasting and prayer.
Ash Wednesday occurs approximately six weeks before Easter Sunday -- the resurrection of the Christian saviour and begotten son of God, Jesus Christ, according to Fox News.
The main purpose of Ash Wednesday is to honour the 40 days Christ spent in the desert by fasting and practising self-control.
Before giving his sermons, Jesus spent 40 days travelling in the desert, where he was tempted by Satan, according to the Bible.
For Christians, abstaining from a common luxury and observing a fast on Ash Wednesday is a way to prepare for the Lenten season and the eventual celebration of Christ's death, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven.
Various denominations observe Ash Wednesday during different dates leading up to Easter Sunday with unique traditions. Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, Baptists, and Methodists are the denominations within the Western Christian world that recognizes Ash Wednesday.
Many mark this day by wearing a smudge of ash on their forehead. During a Mass, a priest places the ashes on a worshiper's forehead in the shape of a cross.
The ceremony, which also can be performed by a minister or pastor, is meant to show that a person belongs to Jesus Christ, and it also represents a person's grief and mourning for their sins - the same sins that Christians believe Jesus Christ gave his life for when he died on the cross.
The ashes used on Ash Wednesday originate from burnt palms used a few days before Palm Sunday.
If you encounter Christians with a cross of ashes on their forehead, then don't forget to wish them a happy Ash Wednesday.
( With inputs from ANI )
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