The aim of this article is to explain why the Anglican Church celebrate ash Wednesday. Most times, Pentecostal churches tend to condemn and speak against almost every practice of the Orthodox Church. But I hope this article will be meaningful and in turn convince as many as possible, but for the doubting Thomas’s, I do not know what else to do. I can only talk of Anglican because of my Anglican background, but I will not be able to talk much about Catholics and other orthodox churches. Although they all celebrate this event, yet I will not be able to place the exact reason why they do it.

Ash Wednesday is celebrated in the Anglican Church to mark the beginning of lent. Lent is a period of fasting and prayer which is observed by all Anglicans worldwide. It is celebrated once in a year and it terminates with the celebration of Easter. The lenting period for the Anglican Church lasts for a period of 40 days but ash Wednesday is celebrated 46 days to Easter. The fasting lasts for 40 days because the number 40 is a unique number. Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and Moses also fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. Thus the Anglican Church fasts for 40 days. Many other churches fast for as long as they can or as short as they can. For example, RCCG fasted for 100 straight days in 2017 and 50 straight days in 2018, yet in July, they will also embark on another fasting for 30 days to complete 80 days fasting. Some other churches fast for the first 7 days of every year, some fast the last 7 days of every year, yet others fix their fast within the year. Islam fast 30 days to their sallah. Thus, the subject of fasting is not a new thing; neither did it originate from the Anglican Church. The lenting period occurs at a calculated time. As earlier stated, ash Wednesday occurs 46 days to Easter. The Anglican church do not fast on Sundays and as such, this lenting period lasts for 7 week (46 days) minus 6 Sundays in which no fasting is done. It is expected that every Anglican join in this yearly and spiritual exercise.

There are basically two major reasons why the church still celebrates Ash Wednesday which I am here to highlight.

The first reason why we still celebrate Ash Wednesday is because it is a sign of genuine repentance, sober reflection and sorrow. Dating back to the Old Testament, we see that ash was used severally on different occasions to mourn or bewail issues like; pronounced judgement, sorrow of heart, remorse and repentance. Perhaps, the following scripture references would throw more light. Job.42v6, Esther.4v1-3, 2Samuel.13v19, Jeremiah.6v26.25v34, Daniel.9v3. Jonah.3v6, Matthew.11v21, Luke.10v13. These few verses show us that ashes are been used basically as a sign of repentance and Jesus confirmed it validity as we see in Matthew and Luke. For this reason, the lenting period starts with the Ash Wednesday to show that the season is a season of sober reflection. It is a season of genuine repentance which ushers us to fast and pray, calling on the Lord Most High with a pure heart and a holy hand.

The second reason why Ash Wednesday is celebrated in the Anglican Communion is to remind us who we are. No matter the extent of our greatness and achievement, it a sad news to know that we are just ash and dust. This is why in a typical Anglican burial scenario, you will see or hear the following lines, “earth to earth, dust to dust, ash to ash”. With these statements, the grave of the dead person is covered. Therefore, we must constantly remind ourselves whom we are and not go about thinking that we are what we are not. With this in mind, it will help every Christian worldwide to understand the more that we are all ash and one day we will return back to ash while the soul returns to God.

Do We Just Pick Up Ash From Anywhere
This is another important question that i will not fail to answer. Do we pick up ash from anywhere, since ash do not have its types? The answer is NO. We do not just use any kind of ash for this celebration. We get a palm frond, burn it and use that ash for the celebration. Palm frond is selected because when Jesus went triumphantly into Jerusalem, the people got palm frond and st it om the ground for His ass to walk on it. For this reason, the Anglican church use the ash gotten from palm frond.

May God help us so that this celebration will not just be to fulfill all righteousness. One of the major reason why it seems as if Christianity is losing its value day by day is because some of those things which were instituted our Christian fathers are now been abused and carried out just to fulfill all righteousness. So if you are looking for the reason behind the ash Wednesday, then I have done a little justice to it. If you love this article and you believe its content, then go ahead and share it to all and sundry.

http://www.christianityupdate.com/blog/meaning-ash-wednesday-anglicans-celebrate/

But most anglican churches don't put ash on our fore head again.. Why

In the spirit of the Lent season.

This is a Lent prayers from all of us @[/color]........
Almighty and ever living God, 
you invite us deeper into your world, your people, your Lent.
May this time be one of outward focus;
seeking you in those we often ignore. 
Help us live a Lent focused on freedom, generosity, and encounter. 
Give us hearts hungry to serve you
and those who need what we have to give.
While fasting with the body,
brothers and sisters,
let us also fast in spirit.
Let us lose every bond of iniquity;
let us undo the knots of every contact made by violence;
let us tear up all unjust agreements;
let us give bread to the hungry
and welcome to our house
the poor who have no roof to cover them,
that we may receive mercy from Christ our God.
And lastly, let us put our darling country ([color=#006600]Nigeria) in prayers.
May God answer our prayers in this month of Lent.
Prayers going up..........

Alexaonfleek:
Amen....

God bless you Alexa.
@Your Diaries,
May God answer your heart desires this lent period.

Stevewonder004:

Amen

God bless you too Steven.

Still don't understand why Religions major in minor things

Even in all that write up, there's no direct traceable scripture that supports the pagan practice?

Happy Ash Wednesday nairaland people

Nice

Interesting

Happy celebration.

That's really a fantastic clarification on the issue of ash Wednesday. I know nothing about it until this very moment.

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Hmmmmmm okay I'll obey next time

End of the year fasting, beginning of the year fasting, now 40 days Easter fasting...

only if people dey truly respect their vows

So significant to the catholics but I wonder why the protestant churches don't observed ash wednesday.

Rip kaka

I Love Catholic Church

To me, it's nothing but ritual. Just like bowing down for the statue of Mary. I cant do that for anything

;

Proudly Catholic

Ash is my best color as well as ‘BLACK’ Friday


Life is soft

Ash Wednesday marks the commencement of Lenten season. It equally shows you that you were created out of ash and you will someday become ash again. Meanwhile, click on the links on my signature to master how you will make excess of N3,000,000 profit per plot from investment in Ibeju Lekki plots of land.

You are right please ignore those who will come here to talk trash, if a human being can decide on his own to dismiss the existence of his maker, but fail to logically prove God unexistence, you tell me if there is someone as foolish as this one

Anglican or Catholics... its practiced more by Catholics than the Anglican communion.

I have a question.

Anglican churches in the south eastern part of Nigeria don't practice it. They claim they came out of Roman catholic and any body from catholic joining them must denounce their pagan worship and doctrines.

How come the south western anglicans still practice these pagan doctrine of the Roman catholic? I need answer on this.

This is pure Catholic practice you just mention, the Ash is gotten from the palm fronds we use on Palm Sunday feast after it been burn a day before Ash Wednesday

Bros all your points are correct but you were stressing on Anglican but forgot to mention that Anglican borrowed all these from Catholic
......Even the first picture you uploaded shows a Catholic priest!.... Anglicans started using palm Sunday and placing of ash on the forehead on ash Wednesday recently!

Lenty period is d moment of reestablishing our relationship with Almighty God

Q

Is it only Anglicans that celebrate Ash Wednesday?



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Wolgrace:
I have a question.

Anglican churches in the south eastern part of Nigeria don't practice it. They claim they came out of Roman catholic and any body from catholic joining them must denounce their pagan worship and doctrines.

How come the south western anglicans still practice these pagan doctrine of the Roman catholic? I need answer on this.

I think you are right the Anglican Church in my village don't observe today

forget the protestant, most of them condemning Catholic church have turned their G.O as God carrying stickers and apron adorned with G>O's pictures as protective gears, Catholic lives, no advert we still de increase

Nice 1.

All nah useless and idoltry act,

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