Dust to dust, grace to rise — Ash Wednesday begins the journey.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a solemn season of forty days dedicated to prayer, fasting and almsgiving as the Church prepares for the celebration of Easter. At St. Ambrose Barlow of Swinton & Pendlebury, Catholics attend Mass or services to receive a cross of ashes on the forehead or the hand, a visible sign of repentance and mortality, accompanied by the words “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” or “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” This ritual prompts quiet reflection on sin, renewal of faith, and a renewed commitment to the spiritual disciplines that draw the faithful closer to God.
