The formal establishment of Lent's start date occurred in AD 601 when Pope Gregory adjusted the beginning of Lent to 46 days prior to Easter, simultaneously instituting Ash Wednesday. This arrangement permits 40 days of fasting, during which only one full meal and no meat are permitted, while six Sundays are designated as feast days, exempting them from fasting, resulting in a total of 46 days. Additionally, Pope Gregory initiated the practice of marking the foreheads of parishioners with ashes in the shape of a cross. The significance of ashes raises an important question.
The practice of marking oneself with ashes has its roots in ancient customs. The liturgical application of ashes is evident in the Old Testament, where they symbolize mourning, mortality, and repentance. For instance, in Esther 4:1, Mordecai dons sackcloth and ashes upon learning of King Ahasuerus of Persia's decree to annihilate the Jewish population within the empire.
Let us all cleanse ourselves during this 40 day period of Lent and become better individuals aheadFr Amandio Valadares, Margao
In the early Catholic Church, Eusebius, a noted church historian, recounts in his work, The History of the Church, an incident involving an apostate named Natalis who approached Pope Zephyrinus dressed in sackcloth and ashes, pleading for absolution. By the Middle Ages, it became customary for the dying to lie on sackcloth, sprinkled with ashes. During this rite, the priest would bless the individual with holy water, reciting, “Remember that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return,” a phrase derived from the Latin ‘Pulvis es et in pulverem reverteris.’
These words continue to be spoken today by ministers, deacons, or priests as they mark the foreheads of their congregants. Another common exhortation is “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” The association of ashes with the Gospels, which document the life of Jesus, stems from their preparation. Each year, the ashes are created by burning the blessed palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem during the week of his crucifixion. The act of making the sign of the cross with these ashes links the beginning of Lent, 46 days prior, to the onset of Holy Week the Sunday before Easter.
The unadorned silver neoclassical urn presented here features a lid crowned with a pinnacle. An oval base provides support for the urn's foot. Both the rim of the base and the opening are embellished with three horizontal decorative grooves. Similar grooves are also present on the upper section of the lid, which is finished with a small pinnacle. Inside the urn lies an elongated silver spoon, characterized by a deep scoop that showcases a shell design on its back. The spoon's handle is adorned with an asymmetrical vegetative pattern. This urn exhibits characteristics typical of 19th century European design and was likely utilized for the storage of ashes on Ash Wednesday, marking the commencement of the Lenten season.
Today, Ash Wednesday ranks among the most attended non-Sunday masses, despite not being classified as a holy day of obligation within the liturgical calendar. Worship services are also conducted on Ash Wednesday in Anglican, Lutheran, and various other Protestant denominations, many of which observe Lent as well. Most significantly, Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season culminate in the holiest day of the Christian calendar, Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The practices of receiving ashes and fasting, rooted in numerous biblical traditions, foster a period of penitence and anticipation as Easter approaches. This illustrates the profound influence of the Bible on our rituals and our understanding of sacred time.