Talk:Ash Wednesday
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[edit] Kneeling Day?
~~I have been Catholic all my life. I have never heard of this phrase. Can someone explain it to me? I also find no reference to this in any liturgical rites book. Does it need to be deleted?~~
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- It is a real phrase! It is mostly to do with the divine office and imparticularly Lauds Prime and Sext. Various parts of the liturgy are said kneeling as a sign of penance.
- ... the penítential days of the liturgical year. These include the ferias of Advent and Lent, most vigils, and Ember Days on which no feast occurs. They are named "kneeling days" because at these times of penance, much of the Office is said kneeling instead of standing, for example, the Preces at all the Hours, the Collect, and so on. Even at High Mass, the congregation is supposed to remain kneeling for parts of the Mass at which they would normally stand, eg. The Collect, the Pater Noster, the Postcommunion. The liturgical colour on a kneeling day should normally be purple.
- Hope this helps. Oliver Keenan 23:03, 10 January 2006 (UTC)
- It is a real phrase! It is mostly to do with the divine office and imparticularly Lauds Prime and Sext. Various parts of the liturgy are said kneeling as a sign of penance.
[edit] Fasting
"It also marks the beginning of the Lenten fast which lasts until Holy Saturday. During this period, Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are permitted to consume only one full meal, which may be supplemented by two smaller meals, which together should not equal the full meal."
This seems unbearably harsh to me - I was raised under the impression that adults were to limit themselves to one full meal per day. Perhaps there has been a level of reform that snuck by under my radar. If this is the case, I fully support the decision; the level of liberalism in the modern church was becoming absolutely intolerable. It is certainly nothing, I hope, that restriction of meals to once-per-month could not cure. ChristopherKilbourn 11:31, 7 February 2006 (UTC)
- XD --Antelucan 00:56, 26 February 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Lenten Fast
Fasting only occurs on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, NOT every day of Lent.
That is a specifically Roman Catholic practice, as they make a distinction between "fasting" and "abstinence."
- So does Anglicanism Carolynparrishfan 13:34, 24 February 2006 (UTC)
HAPPY ASH WEDNESDAY ON MARCH 1, 2006. It's 13:44 on Wed Feb 15, 2006 in Solano,Nueva Vizcaya,Philippines. My site is at http://www.michaelmanalolazo.webitsmart.co.uk Just Surfing. Thanks.
"Happy Ash Wednesday"? THERE'S an oxymoron if I ever heard one. :)
Fasting and abstinence don't necessarily mean you shold be sad :) Cecia
Have a solemn and dignified Ash Wednesday, brothers.
Good morning, from a brother in Christ in San Diego, CA, USA. May your Ash Wednesday bring you quiet reflection and understanding of the holy mysteries. May it help prepare you for the joy of Easter. --Sr.Wombat 14:06, 01 March 2006 (UTC)
According to the US Council of Bishops, fasting is required on Ash Wednesday and Good friday, and encouraged on other days. --Alpharigel 03:15, 24 February 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Current Event
Why is there a Current Event tag at the top of the page? It's Ash Wednesday today, but I don't think that merits a "current event" marker. Elliotreed 04:03, 2 March 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Ash Wednesday and it's place in time relative the date of Easter
If Ash Wednesday falls forty-four (44) days before Good Friday, how can it fall just forty (40) days before Easter, which is in fact the Sunday after Good Friday?
______ Sundays are not counted as part of Lent. It is actually 40 days excluding Sundays. Ash Wedensday is 46 days before Easter.Carlo 05:30, 4 March 2006 (UTC)
IS there a reason why this day is on a Wednesday? Why can't it be Ash Monday or Tuesday?
- Because by definition it has to be forty-six days before Easter, which is always on a Sunday. Forty-six days (six weeks plus four days) before any Sunday is always a Wednesday. Angr/talk 10:19, 18 March 2006 (UTC)
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- To put it more precisely: Lent lasts 40 days, but Sundays are not counted when figuring the 40. Get a calendar off the wall and put a piece of paper over the column of Sundays. Now count 40 days backwards from Easter Day, skipping Sundays. You will find that you arrive at the number 40 on the 7th Wednesday before Easter, which is Ash Wednesday. If we figure in the Sundays as well, we find that Ash Wednesday is 46 days before Easter. MishaPan (talk) 03:06, 24 March 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Headline text
If Sundays are not icluded in the Lent Calender, then I assume fasting is out and a good roast is in??? I'm not sure fasting does work, I think you end up irritable and lose concentration/focus. Ok if you have a day off work!! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 204.104.55.243 (talk) 16:47, 13 February 2007 (UTC).
[edit] ~~HAPPY ASH WEDNESDAY~~
~~HAPPY ASH WEDNESDAY~~ Italic text Ash Wednesday,This is my first returning Ash Wednesday since back in my youth. I know is been a while. However, I decided to contribute to the lessons I learned back in my youth. I have been surfing the web in search of history on how we honor “Ash Wednesday.” I am not sure if this is appropriate for this website but It seems to find most of my researches I have done on this website “Wikipedia”, this site has been very informatived, and now I can post to the discussion site. great! Thank you. (Elidiadixon 00:34, 21 February 2007 (UTC)).
[edit] Leap Day
There are two sentences in the first paragraph about Ash Wednesday falling on a leap day (Feb 29):
Ash Wednesday can fall on Leap Day only during a leap year for which 15 April is Easter Sunday. The next time Ash Wednesday will fall on Leap Day will be in 2096, the first such year since the 1582 adoption of the Gregorian Calendar.
But it doesn't explain the significance of that - is there any significance? DeanHarding 05:45, 21 February 2007 (UTC)
I think that they should be moved down to the bottom of the article after the list of dates for Ash Wednesday if it is indeed relevant information. Personally I think it should just go, it might become relevant in 80 years or so. --82.47.166.66 07:47, 21 February 2007 (UTC)
[edit] How long should the ashes stay on my forehead?
Just came back from Ash Wednesday services, and wondering how long the ashes are supposed to stay. Is it being a bad catholic to remove them once I return to work or home?
Peace to you all during this lenten season. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 65.87.238.124 (talk) 19:31, 21 February 2007 (UTC).
- It's up to you. Some people remove them as soon as they leave church, obeying the dictum of the Gospel Reading of the day: "When you fast, don't look glum or change your appearance, but wash your face" (paraphrasing from memory). Others find it a strong spiritual discipline to leave it on, because it marks you and some people react to it - not always positively. I think both are legitimate, and which one you do is up to you and depends where you are on your spiritual journey. At least, that's MY opinion. Carlo
Answer:
| “ | The priest or minister marks the forehead of each participant with black ashes, in the shape of a cross, which the worshipper traditionally retains until washing it off after sundown. | ” |
P.S. Happy Ash Wednesday to everyone! FellowWikipedian 19:37, 21 February 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Painting
I know that thisis suppose to be an academic article, but being a religious article implies some sensitivity. To that end, I must protest at the seemingly pointless image painting of "Ash Wednesday, after a Carnival". What? Who cares? Carnival? Inappropriate! It shows a man laying low in what seems to be an alleyway. For all I know, the art has nothing to do with Ash Wednesday. If no one objects within 24hrs, I will remove it.Tourskin 06:06, 22 February 2007 (UTC)
I saw the picture just before you removed it. It was very appropriate. In New Orleans, Brazil and other locations, Ash Wednesday marks the end of carnival season. The man in the painting was dressed as if he had been a participant in a carnival parade. Still in those clothes, he was deep in prayer with the light of daylight (maybe the light of God) shining on him. The jar at right in the photo perhaps symbolizes what we need to sustain us during our Lenten journey. I think you should restore the photo.
It looks to me like he's in jail. As though he got arrested for some shenanigans at Carnival and now on Ash Wednesday he has time to "repent" -- BEHIND BARS. It is a very amusing painting and entirely appropriate. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.213.57.50 (talk • contribs) 14:09, 6 February 2008
[edit] A sentence seems out of place
"The Penitential psalms are read." sentence seems out of place. Should it be moved? I don't know whether this is done by both RC and Anglicans, so I left it alone. Bettyg51 16:48, 22 February 2007 (UTC)BettyG
[edit] Is Nordic custom different?
I have a question for anyone that might be able to shed light on where the following tradition came from.
In Iceland Ash Wednesday is celebrated much like Halloween is in the English speaking world - kids go around singing songs in all manner of costumes and beg for candy. This is preceded on Monday and Tuesday by festivities involving the consumption of cream filled buns (Monday is "Bun Day") and large quantities of salted meat (Tuesday is "Bursting Day", as in your gut).
What I'm wondering is whether anyone recognizes one or more elements of these seemingly odd traditions (celebrations and feasting don't seem to coincide with what I'm reading about Ash Wednesday in other cultures). Is it a Nordic thing? Has it died out in Scandinavia? Basically: what gives? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.144.85.130 (talk) 15:00, 1 February 2008 (UTC)
- Information on such practices is found in the article Carnival, which is the last opportunity for feasting and merrymaking before the Lenten season of fasting, sobriety and self-examination begins. In most cultures Carnival ends on Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday), but from what you write it would seem that in Iceland it continues on Ash Wednesday itself. Continuing the merrymaking on Ash Wednesday does indeed seem to be at odds with the intent of the day. MishaPan (talk) 03:16, 24 March 2008 (UTC)
