What is the difference between ash wednesday mass and service

Each year, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. In , Ash Wednesday falls on February Lent is a day season not counting Sundays marked by repentance, fasting, reflection, and ultimately celebration.

What is Ash Wednesday and What Happens? Have you ever noticed how once a year, usually in February or March, there are a lot of people walking around with an ash cross on their foreheads? If you want to learn more about this important day in the liturgical calendar and why so many celebrate Ash Wednesday and Lent, read on!

This happens during a special Ash Wednesday service. During Mass for Catholics or worship service for Protestants , the priest or pastor will usually share a sermon that is penitential and reflective in nature.

The mood is solemn - many services will have long periods of silence and worshipers will often leave the service in silence. Usually, there is a responsive passage of Scripture, usually centered around confession, read aloud about the leader and congregation.

Attendees will experience communal confession, as well as moments where they are prompted to silently confess sins and pray. After all of this, the congregation will be invited to receive the ashes on their foreheads. In many congregations, the ashes are prepared by burning palm branches from the previous Palm Sunday. We stand in lines at the grocery store and the post office. In line, we become one of many, and we learn to wait. The line on our way to receiving Communion is the same — we join a people walking toward God; together, we wait to be fed.

Every Catholic Church in the world has a cross hanging above the altar. Correction: every Catholic Church in the world has a crucifix hanging above the altar — a cross with the body of Jesus hanging on it.

The figure of Jesus looks different in every Church, but we recognize in his figure our own humanity: the arc of the ribcage, the veins in his feet, the muscles of his legs.

As you read this, right now, roll up your sleeve and stretch out your hand — either one. Stretch it all the way out and raise your palm upward. Now look at the inner crease of your elbow. The Roman Missal states that after the homily, the priest blesses the ashes and sprinkles them with holy water.

Then the priest places ashes on the head of all those present who come to him, and says to each one:. In most English-speaking countries the prevailing custom seems to be that the priest places enough holy water into the ashes to form a kind of paste. The ashes are then daubed in the form of a cross on the forehead. Many Catholics see this practice as a means of publicly showing their faith and leave the smudge on their forehead throughout Ash Wednesday. In other countries, such as Spain, Italy and parts of Latin America, the prevailing custom seems to be sprinkling fairly dry ashes on the crown of the head.

But even within these geographical areas, both customs are practiced and there may be other legitimate traditions as well. The blessing and distribution of ashes may also take place outside Mass. In this case, the rite is preceded by a Liturgy of the Word, with the Entrance Antiphon, the Collect, and the readings with their chants as at Mass. The blessing of the ashes, however, is reserved to a priest or deacon. There is no rule about this. It is a matter of personal decision based on the individual's own inclinations and circumstances.

The ashes can be left on until they wear off naturally or they can be washed off or wiped off when the individual chooses. According to circumstancs, the rite may be abbreviated by the minister.

Nevertheless, at least one Scripture reading should be included in the service. The homily should conclude by inviting the sick person to prepare himself or herself for the reception of the ashes. It's less strict than it used to be. Read More. How fasting has changed. Christians started to fast during Lent in the 5th-9th century. They made it a tradition to remember and reflect on Jesus Christ's fasting in the wilderness.

Back then, they stuck to a strict tradition.