Millions of Christians around the world attended Mass on Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten season that prepares the faithful for Easter.
Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, spiritual self-awareness and charity that mimics the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness. Ash Wednesday is observed by Masses and ash distribution services.
The faithful approach the altar and receive ashes in the mark of a cross on their foreheads. The ashes, which are usually made from burned palm fronds from the previous year’s Palm Sunday, serve as a symbol of mortality and penance.
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” is one of the phrases often referenced during the distribution — message rooted in humility and reflection.
During the next 40 days, Catholics and other Christians enter a liturgical season of fasting, prayer and almsgiving. Lent invites participants into a period of spiritual discipline, repentance and renewal. Many choose to practice self-denial as a way to grow in their faith.
Some practices include “giving up habits” or fasting, along with giving up meat on Fridays. Popular offerings of repentance include forgoing social media, favorite foods or other daily comforts.
Summer Fisher, a junior and lifelong practicing Catholic, said this Lent is no different than previous years.
“To me, Lent is a chance for growth and to become a better person,” said Fisher. “This Lent I’m going to give up sweets as a sacrifice.”
Others focus less on giving something up and more on implementing more spiritual practices or habits.
“I am trying to be more conscious of God being in my everyday life and every moment,” said Victoria Nguyen, a junior at the University of Florida. “Try to glorify Him in the things I do, remembering this life is for Him.”
While Christmas and Easter are considered holy days of obligation in the Catholic Church, meaning baptized Catholics are expected to attend Mass, Ash Wednesday is not.
“I think more people attend Ash Wednesday since it is more a cultural and traditional thing many Catholics have experienced growing up, especially getting ashes on your forehead most notably,” said Destin Gollamudi, an altar server at St. Augustine Catholic Church.
Father Blair Gaynes, pastor and director of Student Ministries at St. Augustine Catholic Church and Student Center, said Ash Wednesday consistently draws thousands of followers.
“Honestly, we have the biggest attendance of the year on Ash Wednesday,” Gaynes said.
He estimates that in his first year at the parish about three years ago, around 3,000 people attended Ash Wednesday services throughout the day. Last year, that number climbed to nearly 3,700. This year, he expects it could surpass 4,000.
Gaynes added that Mass attendance overall has increased, along with involvement in parish ministries.
“I think it’s a sign that God is at work,” Gaynes said. “Wherever they are on the spectrum of faith, they recognize there's brokenness, and there's a need for better.”
Gaynes said he believes the physical sign of ashes plays a significant role in drawing people from all faiths into a season of repentance.
“I think people of all faiths, because it's not just Catholics who come here on Ash Wednesday, recognize that and want to do something that says that publicly, even having the courage to not wash it off after they leave,” he said.
The visible mark of the cross on one’s forehead becomes both a personal and public declaration of humility.
While some critics note that Ash Wednesday’s high attendance contrasts with lower weekly Mass participation, Gaynes sees the day as an opportunity rather than a contradiction.
For Catholics striving to live their faith more intentionally, Gaynes encourages going beyond surface-level sacrifices.
“Not just, ‘I’m giving up chocolate because I eat too much chocolate,’” he said. “But going deeper into prayer, almsgiving and fasting; to actually unite that in a more direct, intentional way, to the suffering, to those who are experiencing injustice, to those who are without homes, who are without jobs, who are without money.”
Whether through giving up favorite foods, luxuries, or vices, increasing prayer or receiving ashes as a public sign of humility, participants step into 40 days designed for transformation.
As Christians begin their journey toward Easter, Ash Wednesday stands as both a reminder of mortality and an invitation to introspection.