HispanicBusiness

Western Christian churches today mark Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, the traditional 40-day period of fasting, prayer and penitence before Easter.

To observe the day, Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherans hold services during which the foreheads of the faithful are marked with the sign of the cross with ashes made from last year's Palm Sunday palms as a sign of repentance and reminder of mortality.

A clergy person or, in some cases, a lay person, applies the ashes with variations of the phrase: "Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return."

The 40 days of Lent do not include Sundays. Easter falls on April 8 this year.

For Roman Catholics, the Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, will distribute the ashes at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Also, the Reverands Ledlie I. Laughlin and Claire Nevin-Field, from St. Peter's Church on Pine Street, will be at Market East Station from 7 to 9:30 a.m. applying ashes as part of the Ashes to Go program run by Episcopal parishes.

And, in Schwenksville, it will be a memorable Ash Wednesday as workers are placing steeples on the planned Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Church.

The Rev. Paul C. Brandt will ride on a construction lift to help place a 10-foot-tall cross on the bell tower's steeple, about 100 feet above the ground. Children from the parish are expected to watch.

After the ashes are dispensed, Lent begins. Lent spawned pre-seasonal celebrations such as Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) and Carnival as a last chance to eat, drink and be merry before the 40 days of self denial began.

Tradition holds that a Philadelphia staple-the soft pretzel-was created by a monk as a Lenten food at a time when the faithful abstained from meat and animal products, such as milk and eggs. Another Lenten staple bestowed to us by German monks is bock beer.

While Lent has traditionally been observed by giving up pleasures, such as sweets, churches now encourage the faithful to do something during the season that will help others or enrich their spiritual lives.

The Eastern Orthodox Church will mark the start of the Great Lent on Monday and it will celebrate Easter on April 15.