Ash Wednesday

[Mary of Bethany]

How, or did, most of you observe Ash Wednesday? And how are you going to observe Lent? I'd love to hear about Lenten services that your parishes have, as well as personal observances.

FYI - Orthodox do not observe Ash Wednesday. Instead we have Forgiveness Vespers, which occur the evening of the Sunday before the Great Fast, which this year begins Monday, March 10th. Pascha is not until April 27th.

But I used to observe Ash Wednesday as an Anglican, and always found it to be a very good way to begin Lent.

mary

 

[Secundulus]

We had two services, at noon and 6 pm, where we received the mark of the ashes "Remember O man, from dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return", followed by a mass.

Our noon service was sparce, maybe because of severe weather, but our 6 pm service was well attended.

I ended up being the lector at both since others were out of town.

I always find those words, when the priest marks our forehead with ashes, extremely humbling.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Yes, it is a good way to keep in mind "the remembrance of death".

Mary

 

[rrguy]

Both services were very packed. There was also something about it on the news. I like seeing Chrisitian topics on the news. That are in good content any way lol