Ash Wednesday(fast and abstinence)
The season of lent is a time for the preparation of Easter.The liturgy prepares the catechumens for the celebration of the paschal mystery by the various stages of Christain initiation.it also prepares the faithful,who recall their baptism and do penance in preparation for Easter.
The beginning of lent is marked by Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting, from dust we come,from dust we shall return. The act of putting on ashes symbolises our morality and we have to be redeemed by mercy. It's a call to repentance. Jesus fasted 40days and 40 nights,were he could also resist the temptation of satan so lent is also like a source of reminder and to prepare us for Easter.
During lent we do not sing alleluia , the alter is not decorated with flowers. Musical instruments are not used except in cases of laetare Sunday and for solemities or feasts.
Ashes are blessed and distributed during the mass like a cross on the forehead.
These ashes are made from the olive branches of other trees which were blessed in the previous year (palm Sunday).
It is a tradition to save the palm from palm Sunday so that it can be burnt to produce ash for ash Wednesday.
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Ash Wednesday is a day of abstinence from meat and all forms of food made with meat usually from the age of 14years-59years except in a situation whereby someone has health issues or so. We do this, in the sense that we are sorry for our sins and try to bring our physical body under the control of our souls.
Thanks to @steemit for this wonderful platform to enable me tell people about Ash Wednesday and thanks to @steemchurch also for giving me the opportunity to share with them. I hope you guys learned something from the post?
And thanks to everyone for your time also.