Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday has traditionally been the beginning of Lent. It derives its name from the common Biblical tradition of ashing, which is the burning of palm or olive branches to later apply the ashes upon the head or forehead to signify great mourning or deep repentance. In profound surrender Job cries out, “Therefore I retract, and repent in dust and ashes.”(Job 42:6) Because Scripture associates the use of ashes as an icon of repentance, it is fitting that Ash Wednesday heralds the season of Lent as the season so characterized by the practices of fasting, self-examination, and prayer.
The Catholic tradition of Ash Wednesday dates back to Aelfric (c.955-c.1020) a great Benedictine English scholar, [1] and was later adopted by the Roman Catholic Church. It was established that on the first day of Lent, each person would apply ashes as a demonstration of solemn repentance.
Since that time the applying of ashes on Ash Wednesday has been in and out of favor within the various Christian traditions. Nonetheless, it serves as a valuable role in announcing the season of Lent by introducing and engendering a spirit of repentance as a prelude to the Lenten season practices of fasting, self-examination and prayer.
[1] Metford, J. The Christian Year. (New York: Crossroad Publishing, 1991) p.45-46