ASH WEDNESDAY AND LENT 2026
This year Ash Wednesday will be 18th February. Good Friday will be on 3rd April and Easter Sunday on 5th.
We plan to hold a Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes on Wednesday 18th February in church in the Lady Chapel at 10:00 am.
ASH WEDNESDAY
The Crosses from Palm Sunday last year are collected up and burned to make the ash that we use on Ash Wednesday. This marks the beginning of Lent, the forty days before Easter (the Sundays are not counted). Lent is a season of self-examination, penitence, self-denial, study, almsgiving and preparation for Easter. Ashes are an ancient sign of penitence. From Medieval times people have been marked with the sign of the cross at the beginning of Lent.
The ash will be ground up and then a prayer of blessing is said over it. Before COVID, ashes were then used to mark crosses on people’s foreheads during a church service including a Eucharist. This year there will be prayer cards to use at home instead.
LENT
Lent is the period of forty days before Easter beginning with Ash Wednesday. This is a time of self-reflection as we attempt to spend more time with God, praying, listening and reading our Bibles.
Traditionally, Christians have focused on penance and amendment of life during Lent, making an extra effort to think of others and our effect on the building of the kingdom around us. Accordingly, we may decide for ourselves some combination of prayer, fasting and almsgiving (good deeds and charity) for this season. The Church of England does not have specific rules about how we fast, but recommends that we discern for ourselves via prayer.
Many people choose to give something up or take something on in Lent. The giving up may be of a food treat, the taking on may be a commitment to prayer or reading the Bible and a Lent book daily. There are many options within the key theme for Lent of prayer and fasting. Prayer deepens our relationship with God. Fasting too draws us closer to God and helps us with our prayers. Fasting may be total abstinence from food for a period of time. Those with medical conditions are advised to consider carefully which options may be safe for them.
MOTHERING SUNDAY - the FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT
… has its own page of information here.
