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| Ash Wednesday |
Significance
Ash Wednesday, originally called dies cinerum (day of
ashes), marks the first day of Lent in the Western Christian religious calendar
year.
History
The feast is believed to have been introduced by Pope
Gregory I and dates back as early as the 8th century AD. Ashes are a symbol of
penance made sacramental (as a sacred offering to God) by the blessing of the
Church to help one develop the spirit of humility and sacrifice. This custom
has evolved from an old ceremony, in which Christians who had committed grave
faults were obliged to do public penance.
Method of celebration
Many churches observe Ash Wednesday with special mid-week
worship services. The religious custom on Ash Wednesday is that the priest or
pastor at the church marks a cross on the forehead of the parishioners (church-goers).
The ashes for this are obtained from the burned palms used in the previous year's
Palm Sunday celebration. This ritual is blessed with the recitation of a passage
from the Holy Bible, Genesis 3:19: "for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou
return." The ashes also symbolize repentance and purification. They are a reminder
of man's mortality and are a sign that one wishes to undertake penance.
The mood of Ash Wednesday is expressed in violet. Violet
depicts quiet dignity, royalty and repentance. Violet was also the traditional
color of a king's robe in Roman times and thus, celebrates Jesus Christ as the
King of kings. Before Jesus was sentenced to the cross, He told Pilate, the Roman
procurator that His Kingdom is not of this world. The soldiers around Jesus then
mockingly put a purple/violet robe on Him to denote His being King of the Jews.
They did not understand the implied meaning that Jesus Christ is a King in the
spiritual and not the worldly sense.
Lent is a time for solemn contemplation about one's sins and
should lead to repentance and the firm decision to follow the spiritual path.
It is a time for prayer for forgiveness and understanding the symbolism of Jesus
Christ's crucifixion. Hence, weddings and other such celebrations are generally
discouraged in this season. The saying and singing of 'Alleluia', a term used
in rejoicing and praise, is often discontinued until Easter.
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