Ash Wednesday today

Staff Correspondent: Catholics and many other Christians around the world are observing today (March 1) as the holy 'Ash Wednesday'.

They will have ashes applied to their foreheads in the shape of a cross throughout the day to publicly express their faith and penance. Applying ashes symbolize penance, mourning and mortality. The ashes are usually mixed with Holy Water or oil, and carry the scent of incense.

The Ash Wednesday also marks the beginning of Lent season, a 40-day period dedicated to reflection, prayer and fasting ahead of Easter.

Those observing Lent will typically fast on Ash Wednesday by eating only one large meal or two small meals that do not contain any meat. Many Catholics will also give up something or adjust an ingrained habit during the 40 days before Easter.

The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are made from the burning of palms blessed in the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration, when Christians carry palms to recognize the Gospels' reference to Jesus's path being covered in palm fronds on the day he entered Jerusalem.
 

Generally the priest or the pastor apply the ashes in the shape of a cross citing 'You are dust, and will return to dust', an excerpt from the Holy Bible.

According to Genesis 3:19 of the Holy Bible, "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

And Ecclesiastes 3:20, says, "All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return."

Special preparations have been taken to observe the day in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world. Several worship and ash applying services will be held from afternoon to evening in churches in the country including Tejgaon, Romba Cathedral and Mirpur.  

risingbd/DHAKA/Mar 1, 2017/Augustin Sujan