Catholics mark start of Lent on Ash Wednesday

FILE: ASH WEDNESDAY. A little boy joins his father as the priest applies ashes on their foreheads in the observance of Ash Wednesday at the Baclaran Church in Paranaque City (March 6, 2019). Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. The practice includes the wearing of ashes on the head. The ashes symbolize the dust from which God made us. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA – “Remember man that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”.

These are the sacred words to be uttered by a priest as he puts ashes on the foreheads of the faithful to celebrate Ash Wednesday (March 6) which is exactly 45 days before Easter Sunday.

As a Catholic nation, Filipinos observe Ash Wednesday with reverence as they visit church to have ashes put on their foreheads as a reminder that man comes from dust and to dust he shall return.

Other Christian denominations that observe Ash Wednesday are the Anglicans, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians and some Baptists.

The ashes are prepared by burning palm leaves from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebrations.

In an interview, Rev. Fr. Kit Ramirez of the St. Jude Parish in Malacañang, Manila, said Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent wherein Catholics between the ages 18 and 59, but depending on one’s health condition, are urged to fast, and abstain from eating meat, and every Friday thereat during the Lenten period.

However, senior citizens are exempted from fasting, he said.

Biblical records point out the importance of fasting which Christ did for 40 days and night in the wilderness, as part of his spiritual preparation before he was nailed on the Cross on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday to prove all and sundry that he is God Almighty.