What is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is a holiday some Christians celebrate, but primarily Catholicism. It takes place 6 ½ weeks before Easter — ranging between February 4th and March 11th depending on when Easter is —and starts the holiday known as Lent. The holiday is meant to remind mankind of both their mortality (memento mori) and the need for a savior.

Ash is placed on every person's head in the congregation as to symbolize memento mori — a Latin Phrase meaning "I remember you must die" or "remembering death". It is commonly said with it: "remember your are dust, and to dust you shall return". This phrase likely coming from the book of Genesis: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return," (Genesis 3:19 KJV).

Fasting and temporary celibacy are asked to be done on this day. Fasting includes only one meal without meat. There is no requirement from the Bible to celebrate Ash Wednesday; however, it is a tradition many denominations celebrate.

Works Cited:

Ash Wednesday: “Remember You Are Dust, and to Dust You Shall Return.,” Harvard Memorial Church, 1 Mar. 2017, memorialchurch.harvard.edu/blog/ash-wednesday-%E2%80%9Cremember-you-are-dust-and-dust-you-shall-return%E2%80%9D.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Ash Wednesday". Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ash-Wednesday-Christian-holy-day. Accessed 25 October 2023.

Capshew, James H. Momento Mori, Indiana University, 2006, memento.sitehost.iu.edu/memento.html.

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