Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lenten Season. It is a season of 40 days special dedicated for believers of Christ to fast and do repentance. It’s also a time for us to purify our soul and sacrifice to GOD.
The story of Lenten season began from the Biblical era, people started to observe the season as a remembrance of the fasting of Christ in a wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights.
The day before Ash Wednesday, it is Shrove Tuesday. On Shrove Tuesday, Anglican families used to have a fine dinner with family members. It is some sort of Reunion dinner. Wine is a must for the dinner. It is one of my favorites feast! In church, Priest will burn the palms from previous years and mixed the ashes with Holy Oil.
On the Ash Wednesday, we used to attend Church Service at night time. We will prepare ourselves by prayers and observe some code of diet. During the church service, before we received Eucharist (the Christ’s last supper), the Fathers will marked a cross on our forehead, regardless of ages and race, by saying to us, “You were made of dust, you shall back to dust” or “O child of Adam, go and do repentance.”
The ashes on the forehead are a symbol of repentance and humble ourselves in front of GOD. It is a custom since the Old Testament era by applying the dust on the head.
Well, it is just a sharing from me, as an Anglican. Thanks.