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Lent has begun on Ash Wednesday since the seventh century. This was so that there could be forty days of fasting before Easter, and forty was an important number as was mentioned above. Since Sunday has never been a fast day, to the six times six weekdays four more had to be added in order to make up the number.
The custom of giving blessed ashes at the beginning of Lent is connected with the very ancient practice of public penance for certain very serious sins. During this time of penance, which lasted for the whole of Lent, the ‘penitents’ were not allowed into the church.
At the beginning of this period they were sprinkled with ashes as a reminder that earthly life is transient and also as a sign of repentance. One of the prayers used (it is still sometimes used today) invites the penitent to remember that he is dust and that he will return to dust. From the early Middle Ages, by which time the practice of public penance had almost died out, blessed ashes were given to everyone.
The prayer normally used when ashes are placed on the forehead is: “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel.”
This expresses the twofold aspect of Lent:
Negative – turning away from sin
Positive - being faithful to our Christian calling
The ashes are blessed and given to each person after the gospel and homily of the Mass.
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