Ash Wednesday Today
By Priyanka, Gaea News NetworkWednesday, February 17, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO (GaeaTimes.com)- Today is Ash Wednesday, which will be followed religiously by the Catholics all over America and all over the world. This date which changes every year has fallen on 17th February. Area Churches are ready to welcome the Catholics who will line up to the church to mark the beginning of the Lenten season, 46 days before the Easter.
The Lenten season begins on the 7th Wednesday before the Easter. This year too, people are expected to be visiting churches and smearing their heads with palm ashes, as a reminder of one’s sins for which he/she should repent. Many Catholic followers come to the church before going to work and keep the oil mixed ash mark on their forehead for the rest of the day. According to reports, this year The United Methodist Church of Summit will be holding the worship services at the Chapel on Ash Wednesday. On the remaining Wednesdays before the Easter- that is on February24, March 3, 10, 17 and on 24th- the church will hold suppers at 6 PM and worship prayer at 7PM. Every believer is welcomed by the church to come to the supper and for prayers.
All over the country, similar programs are being planned for Ash Wednesday. Every Catholic Church holds this ceremony and welcomes every being who wants his forehead to be smeared by the palm ash. This is held as sacramental ash which the minister put on the forehead chanting the words: “Remember (O Man) that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”.
