Ash Wednesday Ushers in Lent for 2016

February 10 is Ash Wednesday 2016, the Christian holiday signaling the beginning of Lent. Ash Wednesday, and Lent as a whole, celebrate the 40 days that the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke say Jesus fasted in the desert while tempted by Satan. Ash Wednesday traditionally involves a service where crosses of palm branch ash are drawn of the foreheads of the congregation. Ash is a symbol of repentance in the Bible, and Ash Wednesday serves as a reminder to Christians to repent, themselves. Ash also plays a key role in Genesis, as the base substance from which Adam and Eve are created. Thus, Ash is symbolic of humanity’s humble, and ill-fated, fabled origins. The ash is traditionally created from palm branches that were blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday. Since Sundays are not considered a time of fast, Ash Wednesday actually takes place 46 days before Easter, in order to totally provide 40 days of fasting over the next six weeks. Since the date of Ash Wednesday is directly influenced by the date of Easter, Ash Wednesday can be as early as February 4, or as late as March 10. Next year’s Ash Wednesday will take place significantly later than this year, falling on March 1, 2017.