This Wednesday, Feb. 17, marks the start of the Lenten season, the 40 days preceding Easter Sunday in religious liturgical calendars. Many commemorate this day with ashes on their forehead and a reflective spirit.
Christian and Catholic traditions set apart Ash Wednesday and Lent as a season of repentance.
"Lent is a significant season in the year for Christians — a time of solemnity and self-reflection where they confess their failings and resolve to live a more godly life based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. It lasts for just over six weeks leading up to Easter." —Christianity.org
The tradition is based on biblical accounts of Jesus spending 40 days fasting in the wilderness before he started his ministry.
Credit: Ralph Barrera
Credit: Ralph Barrera
Many will start this season by attending Ash Wednesday church services, where ashes are placed in the shape of a cross on participants’ foreheads to represent a call to repentance. Services include reading Scriptures that use symbolism of ash and dust.
"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." — Genesis 3:19
»PHOTOS: Ash Wednesday around the world
During the Lenten season, Christians and Catholics will fast from certain luxuries to remember Jesus' sacrifice. Roman Catholic tradition recommends abstaining from meat during Fridays in Lent. Others choose to give up something for the entirety of the season, the most popular being chocolate, sweets, coffee, meat or social media, according to a study posted on Independent.co.
Even those who aren’t religious can recognize the season before the start of spring as a time of reflection and self-improvement by giving up something for a season in order to practice discipline.
Credit: Ralph Barrera
Credit: Ralph Barrera
Locals can take part in the imposition of the ashes at religious services across Atlanta on Wednesday.
Those with busy schedules can even receive "ashes to go" near the Decatur MARTA station from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. thanks to Holy Trinity Decatur and the North Avenue MARTA station from noon to 1 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. on behalf of All Saints Atlanta.
About the Author
