One of the most important rites for the Catholic religion it's lenta period during which parishioners have to reflect on their lives and attitudes to change their behavior and seek God's grace. This period begins with Ash Wednesday, which is getting closer and closer.
This year Ash Wednesday coincides with another important date, as it will be next February 14, that is, Valentine's Day. This is generating debate among believers, since, according to religion, that day people have to abstain from all types of pleasures in preparation for Holy Week.
Beyond the decisions that each person makes, it is worth remembering that Ash Wednesday precedes Easter or Holy Week. It is the first Wednesday that follows the culmination of the carnival festivities and begins the spiritual preparation.
According to the Christian rite, Lent refers to the forty days that Jesus spent in the desert being tempted by the devil. Therefore, it marks the beginning of a period of reflection and prayer that culminates in Holy Week. It should be noted that the ashes are obtained from the residue of the palm leaves delivered on Palm Sunday the previous year, which are burned.
What does the rite of ashes mean in the United States?
According to the site catholic.net, The imposition of ashes on the foreheads of parishioners is a well-known symbol that means death, but not from a negative or dark sense, but as an option for conversion, hope and improvement. The Catholics who place the ash cross reflect and They enter a period in which they must prepare their hearts for the encounter with Christ in Easter.
Ash Wednesday 2024 will be on February 14.
Priests invite good deeds such as praying, giving alms, reaching out to others, so that the reward is received and God enters the lives of believers.
“Ash Wednesday begins a period that ends in Easter, it is the day of salvation, the day in which we go to search within our hearts and ask ourselves who we are looking for. The ash tells us: take everything away and keep what is valuable, what is fundamental,” explains the Catholic site.
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