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Wednesday, March 5, is Ash Wednesday

By: WOL Staff
| Published 03/03/2014

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Over 9,000 families in The Woodlands area will participate in the tradition of receiving ashes in the sign of the cross this Ash Wednesday, March 5.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Western Christian calendar. According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation by Satan. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting or abstinence. In actuality, Ash Wednesday is 46 days before Easter, but six of the days are Sundays. Sundays are not included in the fasting period and are instead "feast" days during Lent.

The holy day derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a celebration and reminder of human mortality, and as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. The ashes used are typically gathered from the burning of the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday. At Masses and services of worship, the ashes are applied to the foreheads of the in the sign of the cross, as the priest says, “Remember that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return.”

The worshipper traditionally retains the ashes until they wear off.

According to the church office of the St. Simon and Jude parish located at 26777 Glen Loch Drive, its 4,000 parish families will be able to receive ashes at their 8:30 a.m. mass, and again at noon, 4 and 7:00 p.m.

St. Anthony of Padua located at 7801 Bay Branch Drive, will administer ashes for the parish’s 5,300 families, according to their church office, at the following times: 6:00 a.m. Mass; 7:30 a.m. Liturgy of the Word; 9:00 a.m. Mass; noon, 4 and 5:30 p.m. Liturgy of the Word; and 7:00 p.m. Mass.

Although the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday is historically observed by Catholic churches, Anglican, and Lutheran Christians observe this holy day, as well as the Methodist Church. Check with your church to see if this holy tradition is being observed.

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