Ash Wednesday marks start of Lent

Ash Wednesday is a western Christian holiday that marks the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter.

Father John greeted people in the church parking lot to smudge a cross of ashes on their foreheads. “When the priest imposes ashes, he says, ‘Remember, you’re dust and unto dust you shall return.’ Our life is handsome and sacred as it is. We’re destined for eternity”.

“I don’t focus on the giving up part, to me it’s more about service to people and to be more helpful”, Landrum said.

Ash Wednesday services will also be held at the Church of the Messiah at 7 a.m., noon, and 7:30 p.m., with a children’s service at 5 p.m. The church is located at 50 State Route 24 West in Chester.

Also on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent, Catholics at least 14 years old are obliged to abstain from eating meat.

“It’s incredible how many people say “yes” (to receiving ashes)”, Otterburn said.

Ash Wednesday is the holy day that marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period in the Christian calendar that leads up to Easter.

Landrum said she is very passionate about adding prayer into her 40 days of Lent and going to daily Mass and praying the rosary more. “There’s Liturgy of the Hours that has morning prayer, midday prayer, evening prayer and Vespers, and I do the morning prayer and evening prayer but during Lent I try to do the other two daily, too”.

In the Eastern Orthodox church, the broad division of Christianity that broke from the Western church a millennium ago, Great Lent will begin on March 14 this year, leading up to Pascha, the celebration of the resurrection, on May 1. It is a day of fasting for Catholic and Anglican churches.

“Lenten period comes with so much demand; as Christians and Partakers in the Kingdom, we have to fast, pray and give alms”.

“God is our best friend, and it is so wonderful, and I am so glad I get to be here”, Barb Flournoy said. Persons attending will be offered a folder in which to record their own acts, however small (smiling at someone, opening a door) or extensive their gifts of kindness may be.