Ash Wednesday

Josiah

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“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

For nearly a thousand years, these words have been spoken to young and old alike as the Sign of the Cross is traced on their foreheads with ashes—the Imposition of Ashes, as it has come to be known. And while some Americans are apt to think of this as a Roman Catholic tradition, in reality it is also a practice in Lutheran and Anglican communities - and often in other Protestant churches, too.


Ashes in the Bible

The Bible contains a number of references to ashes and dust (cf. Joshua 7:6; 1 Samuel 4:12; 2 Samuel 1:2, 15:32; Job 2:12, 16:15; Jeremiah 25:34; Lamentations 2:10; Ezekiel 27:30; Jonah 3:6). In fact, the Lord's curse on Adam, “dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19) is echoed in the Imposition of Ashes formula. In the New Testament, Jesus declares: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 11:21). Thus, in the Bible, ashes carry a two-fold meaning: as a sign of human mortality (Genesis 3:19) and as a sign of public repentance (Matthew 11:21).


Ashes in Church History

This understanding carried over into the early and medieval church. Tertullian (ca. 160-225) describes the use of sackcloth and ashes in the penance of an adulterer before his pastor. Originally, ashes were reserved only for public penitents—i.e., murderers, adulterers and others who had fallen away from the church because of grave public sin but desired reconciliation. Such reconciliation could occur at a variety of times during the year, but by the medieval period, the beginning of Lent became a primary season of the church year for that reconciliation to take place.

By the 12th century, ashes became specifically associated with the beginning of Lent, thus providing the first day of Lent with its name, Ash Wednesday. However, by this time, everybody—pastors and people alike—had ashes (mixed with a tiny bit of olive oil) traced on their foreheads in the Sign of the Cross. By the time of the Reformation, the imposition of ashes was a long and universal practice, that was continued by Lutheran and Anglican Protestants.


Ashes Today?


A contemporary Christian appropriation of the Imposition of Ashes should begin with the two-fold biblical understanding of ashes: as a sign of our mortality and as a sign of our repentance. Likewise, the traditional formula, “Remember, you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” is most appropriate, since it paraphrases the words of God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:19). By receiving the ashes, the worshipper acknowledges that God's judgment against our sin is right and just. But the ashes are also made in the Sign of the Cross—the very instrument by which our Lord took upon himself the punishment for our sin, in our place. Thus, the Cross of ashes serves to remind us that we are sinners, and that Christ died for us sinners. Furthermore, it reminds us of our Baptism, where we also received the Sign of the Cross on our foreheads, reminding us that we are not only sinners but are redeemed.




.
 

MennoSota

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It may be surprising, but this tradition is foreign to my world. [emoji41][emoji6]
 

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My wife and I usually attend Ash Wednesday service together but she has to work too late this time so I’m going by myself tonight. It’s a solemn service and am looking forward to the sermon.
 

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I have a hard time making it to the evening services at my church so I won't be getting my ashes again this year.
 

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NewCreation435

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In the Baptist church where I attend they don't celebrate Ash Wednesday. I probably wouldn't even know about except that the Methodist do celebrate it and I grew up in the Methodist church
 

MoreCoffee

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Catholic parishes celebrate ash wednesday.

 

Arsenios

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It may be surprising, but this tradition is foreign to my world. [emoji41][emoji6]

It is foreign to mine as well...

As it is to all the Apostolic Churches not in Communion with the Latin Church...

At least I am unaware of any others celebrating it...


Arsenios
 

Arsenios

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It is not clear when the Wednesday beginning the Lenten fast began to include the imposition of ashes.
Originally, the imposition of ashes was one of several public rites
required of those penitents who wished to be restored to the Church.

As early as the 4th century, these rites were associated with a 40 day fast.
Most likely this fast was the Lenten fast, but the evidence is too thin to be conclusive.
What does seem clear is that, by the end of the 10th century,
it was customary in Western Europe (but not yet in Rome)
for all the faithful to receive ashes on the first day of the Lenten fast.
In 1091, this custom was then ordered by Pope Urban II at the council of Benevento
to be extended to the church in Rome.
Not long after that, the name of the day was referred to in the liturgical books
as “Feria Quarta Cinerum” (i.e., Ash Wednesday).


http://ww1.antiochian.org/content/orthodox-ash-wednesday

So our EO Church does have a "Western Rite" branch that does include "Ash Wednesday"...

The remembrance of death is an essential feature of restoration to the Early Church of those fallen away...


Arsenios
 

Albion

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It is foreign to mine as well...

As it is to all the Apostolic Churches not in Communion with the Latin Church...

At least I am unaware of any others celebrating it...


Arsenios

Well, it seems to me that this isn't as much an issue as might be thought.

Eastern Orthodox people certainly observe Lent. In fact, the Orthodox observance is much stricter than the Latin way, arguably putting it closer to the standards of earlier centuries than how it is now in Western churches. As for Ash Wednesday, that is just the kick-off to the Lenten season, if we put it crudely; and the symbolism in the imposition of ashes is obvious and unremarkable.
 

Arsenios

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Interesting to me is the fact that it was accepted by the Latins just after the inauguration of the Great Schism...

AND...

The fact that its imposition of the ashes is historically a Rite for those seeking to RE-ENTER the Church...

Glory to God in ALL things...


Arsenios
 

Arsenios

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Eastern Orthodox people certainly observe Lent. In fact, the Orthodox observance is much stricter than the Latin way,

We have been transitioning into Lent for two weeks now, beginning with Meatfare Sunday last week and Cheesefare this Sunday...
Sunday after Liturgy we do Forgiveness Vespers, asking and granting forgiveness to each of our faithful...
This Monday is the actual kick-off into the Great Fast, with no food until after the PreSanctified Vesperal Liturgy Wednesday [A small Lenten soup meal following] and Friday... So two small soup meals Wed and Fri next week are prescribed to simply let our bodies know that they are no longer in charge of our souls... And the praying of St. Andrew's Great Canon of Repentance with prostrations that same week, I believe it is...

Anyway, have a blessed season of repentance unto the Resurrection of our Lord!


Arsenios
 

Josiah

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Josiah said:
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

For nearly a thousand years, these words have been spoken to young and old alike as the Sign of the Cross is traced on their foreheads with ashes—the Imposition of Ashes, as it has come to be known. And while some Americans are apt to think of this as a Roman Catholic tradition, in reality it is also a practice in Lutheran and Anglican communities - and often in other Protestant churches, too.


Ashes in the Bible

The Bible contains a number of references to ashes and dust (cf. Joshua 7:6; 1 Samuel 4:12; 2 Samuel 1:2, 15:32; Job 2:12, 16:15; Jeremiah 25:34; Lamentations 2:10; Ezekiel 27:30; Jonah 3:6). In fact, the Lord's curse on Adam, “dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19) is echoed in the Imposition of Ashes formula. In the New Testament, Jesus declares: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 11:21). Thus, in the Bible, ashes carry a two-fold meaning: as a sign of human mortality (Genesis 3:19) and as a sign of public repentance (Matthew 11:21).


Ashes in Church History

This understanding carried over into the early and medieval church. Tertullian (ca. 160-225) describes the use of sackcloth and ashes in the penance of an adulterer before his pastor. Originally, ashes were reserved only for public penitents—i.e., murderers, adulterers and others who had fallen away from the church because of grave public sin but desired reconciliation. Such reconciliation could occur at a variety of times during the year, but by the medieval period, the beginning of Lent became a primary season of the church year for that reconciliation to take place.

By the 12th century
, ashes became specifically associated with the beginning of Lent, thus providing the first day of Lent with its name, Ash Wednesday. However, by this time,in the West, everybody—pastors and people alike—had ashes (mixed with a tiny bit of olive oil) traced on their foreheads in the Sign of the Cross. By the time of the Reformation, the imposition of ashes was a long and universal practice in the West, that was continued by Lutheran and Anglican Protestants.


Ashes Today?

A contemporary Christian appropriation of the Imposition of Ashes should begin with the two-fold biblical understanding of ashes: as a sign of our mortality and as a sign of our repentance. Likewise, the traditional formula, “Remember, you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” is most appropriate, since it paraphrases the words of God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:19). By receiving the ashes, the worshipper acknowledges that God's judgment against our sin is right and just. But the ashes are also made in the Sign of the Cross—the very instrument by which our Lord took upon himself the punishment for our sin, in our place. Thus, the Cross of ashes serves to remind us that we are sinners, and that Christ died for us sinners. Furthermore, it reminds us of our Baptism, where we also received the Sign of the Cross on our foreheads, reminding us that we are not only sinners but are redeemed.





.



Arseniosn -



Yes, I think this is a WESTERN custom.

MY understanding is that originally, "ashes" were placed on the head especially by people who had been excommunicated and wanted to return (so yes, coming back to the church). And that may have still been the case when the RCC/EOC split in 1054. But not long after that.... at least in the West.... it became a much more general symbol and was practiced by all Christians. It was universal in the West long before the Reformation and was so closely associated with the first day of Lent that it was called "Ash Wednesday" long before Luther.

I'm not surprised if it's not an EOC custom. It seems this is something that developed into the form familiar today after the RCC/EOC split. But I would speculate that the EOC would have no "issues" with it. There are different customs n the East and West....





.
 
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Arsenios

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Arsenios -



Yes, I think this is a WESTERN custom.

MY understanding is that originally, "ashes" were placed on the head especially by people who had been excommunicated and wanted to return (so yes, coming back to the church). And that may have still been the case when the RCC/EOC split in 1054. But not long after that.... at least in the West.... it became a much more general symbol and was practiced by all Christians. It was universal in the West long before the Reformation and was so closely associated with the first day of Lent that it was called "Ash Wednesday" long before Luther.

I'm not surprised if it's not an EOC custom. It seems this is something that developed into the form familiar today after the RCC/EOC split. But I would speculate that the EOC would have no "issues" with it. There are different customs n the East and West....
.

The Antiochian Archdiocese has a Western Rite Church that indeed celebrates Ash Wednesday -
We take the Palms from last year's Palm Sunday, burn them, bless and apply the ashes with great solemnity...

But the "Imposition of Ashes" started out as a penance for those seeking re-entry into the Church...

And it is the Latin Church that embraced it at the time of the Great Schism...

The EOC, except for the Western Rite Orthodox Church of Antioch, never embraced it...

eg The Church that needed it embraced it unawares...


Arsenios
 

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Bumping @Josiah's old thread because today is Ash Wednesday!
 
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