Love or Penance? For catholic christians, today is St. Valentines’ day and is also Ash Wednesday.

For the first time since 1945, Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day falls on the same day.
A similar co-incidence happened 1934, 1923, and 1877, and will repeat in 2029.



The Feast of St. Valentine is celebrated annually by catholics on February 14, in honor of an early saint, St. Valentine of Rome.

Ash Wednesday, observed by many western christians including catholics, is the first fasting day of Lent before Easter. The 40 days Lent period mirrors Christ’s 40 days fasting in the wilderness.

It’s a case of love in Lent or as some may point out, an ‘appropriate way’ to start Lent.

To some others, it might be a mix-up, one that clashes a joyful and romantic annual affair with a pensive and moody ritual.

Read Also: 15,000 Eggs Mistakenly Delivered to Norway Winter Olympics Team

“With Lent itself, it’s a constant reminder of how God has been good to us,” Catholic priest Rev. Benjamin Butler says. “But also how in our individual lives, we’re called to love God and grow in that love even more,” he added.

Last year, Valentine day shoppers spent $18.2 billion in the U.S, one of the few countries keeping Valentine’s day sales statistics.

Couples racing in a Valentine's Day competition in Hong Kong

Consumers are expected to spend $19.7bn and $528m on Valentine presents and treats this year in U.S and Australia respectively.


https://tellodds.com/valentine-meets-ash-wednesday/