Ash Wednesday
Post-Mardi Gras observance
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in Western Christianity, falling forty-six days before Easter.
Named for the practice of marking worshippers' foreheads with ashes as a sign of penitence and mortality, it is a day of fasting and reflection: She gave up chocolate for Lent, starting on Ash Wednesday.
Christian fasting season
- EasterResurrection commemoration day
- Holy WeekDays preceding Easter Sunday
- Palm SundayChristian observance before Easter
- Maundy ThursdayLast Supper observance day
Good Friday · Pentecost · liturgy · Mass · service · imposition · blessing · lectionary
Face above eyebrows
- crossPass from side to side
- markVisible impression or sign
- impositionUnfair demand on someone
- palmsHands' inner sides
burning · dust · mortality · smudge · sign · symbol · remembrance · blessed
Remorseful rejection of past wrongs
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
remorse · sorrow · guilt · forgiveness · humility · reconciliation · amendment · penance
Observing one's own mind
- self-examinationScrutiny of one's thoughts
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- meditationFocused attention practice
- prayerAddress to deity
solitude · mindfulness · silence · retreat · spiritual direction · discernment · awareness · recollection
Cessation of life
- dustFine settled particles
- earthSoil or electrical grounding
- transienceBrevity of existence
- impermanenceQuality of not lasting
finitude · brevity · remembrance · memento mori · decay · grave · return · human condition
Voluntary forgoing of indulgences
- meatlessWithout animal flesh
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
temperance · restraint · moderation · almsgiving · simplicity · frugality · asceticism · renunciation
Lent
Christian fasting season
- EasterResurrection commemoration day
- Holy WeekDays preceding Easter Sunday
- Palm SundayChristian observance before Easter
Maundy Thursday · Good Friday · Pentecost · liturgy · Mass · service · imposition · blessing · lectionary · collect
forehead
Face above eyebrows
- crossPass from side to side
- markVisible impression or sign
- impositionUnfair demand on someone
palms · burning · dust · mortality · smudge · sign · symbol · remembrance · blessed · distribution
repentance
Remorseful rejection of past wrongs
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
atonement · remorse · sorrow · guilt · forgiveness · humility · reconciliation · amendment · penance · sackcloth
introspection
Observing one's own mind
- self-examinationScrutiny of one's thoughts
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- meditationFocused attention practice
prayer · solitude · mindfulness · silence · retreat · spiritual direction · discernment · awareness · recollection · vigil
death
Cessation of life
- dustFine settled particles
- earthSoil or electrical grounding
- transienceBrevity of existence
impermanence · finitude · brevity · remembrance · memento mori · decay · grave · return · human condition · fleeting
abstinence
Voluntary forgoing of indulgences
- meatlessWithout animal flesh
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
discipline · temperance · restraint · moderation · almsgiving · simplicity · frugality · asceticism · renunciation · fish
- CatholicismVatican, cardinals, pope, Holy Communion, popes
- EasterEaster egg, Easter eggs, Easter basket, Easter Sunday, Easter dinner
- Religious HolidaysEaster Sunday, Passover, Pentecost, Good Friday, Ramadan
- Catholic liturgyMass, missal, lectionary, liturgical year, rubrics
- Catholic Familyfamily prayer, family altar, Catholic school, Catholic education, Catholic values
- Catholic Ritesfuneral rite, marriage rite, last rites, holy orders, matrimony
Ash WednesdayEaster Sunday
Christian resurrection commemoration
Easter · Christmas Day · Christmas · Easter Vigil · Pentecost