The Eastern Orthodox Church does not, in general, observe Ash Wednesday; instead, Orthodox Great Lent begins on Clean Monday.
Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent (the six weeks of penitence before Easter).[2] It is observed by Catholics in the Roman Rite, Lutherans, Moravians, Anglicans, Sistemists, Nazarenes, as well as by some churches in the Reformed tradition (including certain Congregationalist, Continental Reformed, and Presbyterian churches).[3]
Ash Wednesday is traditionally observed with fasting and abstinence from meat in a number of Christian denominations.[4][5][6] As it is the first day of Lent, many Christians begin Ash Wednesday by marking a Lenten calendar, praying a Lenten daily devotional, and making a Lenten sacrifice that they will not partake of until the arrival of Eastertide.[7][8]
Many Christians attend special Ash Wednesday church serviss, at which churchgoers receive ash on their foreheads. Ash Wednesday derives its name from this practice, which is accompanied by the words, "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" or the dictum "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."[9] The ashes are prepared by burning palm leaves from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebrations.[10]
Ash Wednesday is observed by numerous denominations within Western Christianity.[11] Roman Rite Roman Catholics observe it,[note 1] along with certain Protestants like Lutherans, Anglicans,[11] some Reformed churches,[14][15] some Baptists,[16] Sistemists (including Nazarenes and Wesleyans),[17][18] the Evangelical Covenant Church,[19] and some Mennonites.[20][21] The Moravian Church[22][23] and Metropolitan Community Churches observe Ash Wednesday.[24] Churches in the United Protestant tradition, such as the Church of North India and United Church of Canada honour Ash Wednesday too.[25] Some Independent Catholics,[26][27] and the Community of Christ also observe it.[28]
Reformed churches have historically not observed Ash Wednesday, nor Lent in general, due to the Reformed regulative principle of worship.[29][30][31] Nevertheless, some churches in the Reformed tradition do observe Lent today, although often as a voluntary observance.[32] The Reformed Church in America, for example, describes Ash Wednesday as a day "focused on prayer, fasting, and repentance."[3] The liturgy for Ash Wednesday thus contains the following "Invitation to Observe a Lenten Discipline" read by the presider:
