What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Western Christian church. It is a prayerful, somber day that reminds us that humans are mortal and that we need to reconcile with God. It begins a period of almsgiving, fasting and prayer until sundown on Holy Thursday.
The 40-day period also recognizes the time Jesus resisted the devil’s temptations in the desert. On Ash Wednesday, people of faith often embark on services of penitence, such as giving up creature comforts or vices.
Others prefer to add acts of goodwill to their lives for the 40 days (approximately six weeks).
Ash Wednesday’s origin
Ash Wednesday's roots date back to the 11th century and stem from Jewish fasting and penance practices. It is widely believed that Roman Catholics began to mark the head with ashes as a cross in the eighth century.
The use of ashes in liturgical practices can be traced back to Old Testament times. Ashes symbolize mortality, mourning and penance.
Did you know ...
... that wearing ash crosses on one's head became widespread as recently as the 1970s? Implemented to connect the physical body to spiritual life as an outward expression of faith. Some Christians consider wearing ashes on their foreheads an easy way to begin a dialog with others about faith.
Ash Wednesday and Easter 2025
Ash Wednesday: March 5, 2025
Easter Sunday: April 20, 2025
How Ash Wednesday is determined
Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent in Western Christianity, is 46 days (six and a half weeks) before Easter. It is the day after Shrove Tuesday. The lunar calendar determines Easter, formalized in ecclesiastical date tables. To determine when Ash Wednesday is:
— Back up six weeks from Easter Sunday (the first Sunday of Lent)
— Back up four more days
NOTE: The earliest Ash Wednesday can happen is Feb. 4. The latest is March 11. Easter can come as early as March 22; its latest possible date is April 25.
Did you know ...
... that Ash Wednesday was once a day of public penitence for those who had committed adultery, apostasy, murder or other serious offenses?
Ash Wednesday: Next 10 years
As they do for Easter, dates for Ash Wednesday change. Here is when the day falls for the next decade.
Feb. 18, 2026
Feb. 10, 2027
March 1, 2028
Feb. 14, 2029
March 6, 2030
Feb. 26, 2031
Feb. 11, 2032
March 2, 2033
Feb. 22, 2034
Feb. 7, 2035
What does Ash Wednesday mean?
On Ash Wednesday, Christians receive ashes in the shape of a cross on their foreheads, meaning repentance for sins and preparation for the Lenten season to address our faults. It can be the beginning of our hearts’ purification, the growth of our holiness.
Why is Ash Wednesday celebrated?
It signifies the start of the penitential Lenten season. It is a time for reflection among Christians, who also:
— Confess sins
— Seek repentance
— Prepare spiritually for Easter
Ash Wednesday: What is it?
Ash Wednesday recognizes that we are broken and need salvation. The Church distributes ashes made from palm leaves from last year's observance. Ashes represent:
— Death
— Repentance
— Purification
Did you know ...
... that churches observing Lent do not sing hymns that include the phrase “Alleluia”? It is a Hebrew word that means “Praise the Lord.” During Lent, the Church adopts the same spirit of exile experienced by Moses and the Israelites as they wandered in the desert for 40 years, saying, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? (Psalm 137:4).
What happens at Ash Wednesday Mass?
You will notice a solemn tone to the day’s Mass. Expect extended periods of silence.
On Ash Wednesday, you will be invited to receive ashes on your forehead. The celebrant will spread them in a cross pattern and say, “From dust you came, and to dust you will return.” The cross also imitates the spiritual seal a Christian receives at baptism.
Ashes are a physical sign of our sinfulness and a reminder of our need for penance. They also remind us that one day we will die, and our bodies will return to dust.
Ash Wednesday: Can you eat meat?
Ash Wednesday is an obligatory day of fasting for Roman Catholics. A fasting person is allowed one full meal daily, but they can also eat two smaller meals if they do not equal another full meal. On Fridays during Lent, Catholics abstain from meat.
Popular recipe websites have catalogs of Lent-friendly dishes.
Did you know ...
All Catholic adults aged 18 to 59 are obliged to fast. People who are physically and mentally ill and people with chronic diseases such as diabetes are excluded from fasting. Pregnant or nursing women are also excluded from fasting.
Ash Wednesday Scripture readings:
This year's Gospel reading is Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18. Other readings are as follows:
— First Reading: Joel 2:12-18
— Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 51:3-4, 5-6AB, 12-13, 14 and 17
— Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2
— Verse Before the Gospel: Psalms 95:8
Did you know ...
... that Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation? Yet, it is one of the most popular Masses not on a Sunday in the liturgical calendar.
Ash Wednesday bible verses
Verses traditionally referenced on Ash Wednesday include:
Matthew 6:16-18
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Ecclesiastes 3:20
“All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.”
Psalm 24:3-5
“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior.”
Joel 2:12
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
Genesis 3:19
“By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Acts 3:19
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Leviticus 6:10
“And the priest shall put on his linen garment and put his linen undergarment on his body, and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and put them beside the altar.”
Did you know ...
... that this year’s ashes are made from burning palms blessed from the previous year’s Palm Sunday? They are consecrated with holy water and incense.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ash Wednesday a holy day of obligation?
No. Catholics are not required to attend Ash Wednesday Mass. (However, all are encouraged to do so.) Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting, not feasting.
Where can I receive ashes on Ash Wednesday?
To receive ashes, find a Catholic Church near you. Some parishes also offer ashes in public spaces, and some may offer more than one Mass throughout the day. You can view a list of Franciscan parishes on our website.
What religion is Ash Wednesday?
It is Christian and is observed by:
— Anglicans
— Catholics
— Episcopalians
— Lutherans
— Methodists
— Moravians
— Nazarenes
Also, Reformed tradition churches, such as:
— Some Congregationalists
— Continental Reformed
— Presbyterian churches
Ash Wednesday quotes
"Ash Wednesday is full of joy… The source of all sorrow is the illusion that of ourselves we are anything but dust." – Thomas Merton
“Lent is a call to renew a commitment grown dull, perhaps, by a life more marked by routine than by reflection.” – Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB
“Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.” – Pope Francis