# Ash Wednesday



## Lancel0t

Greetings from the Philippines.

Guys since today is Ash Wednesday and it marks the start of the Lenten Season. I am wondering how other Christian or Catholic and even non-Christina countries observe this celebration or does this celebration matter at all. Here in the Philippines we go to church for a mass and have the priest put some ashes on our forehead and mark it forming a cross and we abstain and we fast. (of course not every Catholic Filipino is observing this).


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## -ness

My family also observes the 'holiday' by going to mass and receiving our ashes. I've noticed that not many people do so in my community, though, barring only my church's general area, which is in a different location.


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## Sev

In France I think this celebration does not really matters for non-Christian people. They only think : it's "Mardi Gras", or "Carnaval" and time to disguise and have fun !

More info in French there : http://www.joyeuse-fete.com/mardigras.html

As for Christians I think they are going to mass too, but I think there are not many people left in France going to church...but I don't believe in any God, so let's wait for other french with different views....


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## Lancel0t

Sev said:
			
		

> In France I think this celebration does not really matters for non-Christian people. They only think : it's "Mardi Gras", or "Carnaval" and time to disguise and have fun !
> 
> More info in French there : http://www.joyeuse-fete.com/mardigras.html
> 
> As for Christians I think they are going to mass too, but I think there are not many people left in France going to church...but I don't believe in any God, so let's wait for other french with different views....




Sev, does it mean that in France there are few Christian people? Therefore the non-Christian people are the dominant there? I'm just curious about it.


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## Narda

Hi, I believe that among Christians, only practicing Catholics continue with this tradition.  Protestans acknowledge Ash Wednesday but don't do anything about it.  One of the reasons why less people go to Mass is because it is in the middle of the week and they are working, making it difficult to go early in the morning and at the end of the journey they are too tired.


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## valerie

In France a large majority of people, when asked, called themselves catholics. But very few of these recognise going to church on sundays. French society in general, as most european societies, almost do not practice religion. People have just 'inherited' catholicism, and go on with major rites (a mass for a death, mainly)

Generalisation is of course bad, and there will be a lot of people to contradict me. There exists in France a very united and active catholic community, as well as a lot of protestant, jew and muslim practitioners. And probably also lots of buddhists, shintoists,etc...


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## valerie

There is no official statistics of religious beliefs or practice in France, because it is forbidden, in official census,  to ask a person for his religion or ethnic origine. Very few surveys are made. 
Nevertheless, a survey made for a catholic mangazine gives some numbers: in 2001, 69% of French population called themselves catholic. From these, 70 % went to mass occasionally, and  15 % went to mass at least once a month. Of these last, half are more than 64 years old.


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## Lancel0t

Thanks for that information Valerie. It's just the same here in the Philippines. Before the Catholic is the major religion here but now there are lots. Well, our religion won't save us but our faith.


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## manuycacu

Here in Argentina we also go to Mass and the Priest puts some ash on our foreheads and we also abstain and fast. But it is also true that, even when most of the population is Catholic, many don't go to Mass every Sunday or [dia de precepto] (I don't know how to say this in English!)


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## Lancel0t

Yes that is true. Some Catholics enter the church 3 times only in their entire life. 
1st. Baptism
2nd. Marriage
3rd. Funeral.


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## alc112

disculpen mi ignorancia, pero ¿qué significa Ash wednesday?
gracias


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## manuycacu

Es el Miercoles de Ceniza y es el dia que marca el comiezno de la Cuaresma, el tiempo de preparacion para la Pascua de Resurreccion.


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## mjscott

Although Easter is the reason for Christian religions, most Protestant churches I have gone to make more of Christmas than Lent and the Easter season.


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## Lancel0t

That is correct. Here in our country many people don't know that Easter is the most important celebration for us Christian/Catholic. Instead they focus more on other celebration such as Christmas and New Year. 

Since Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season, I would like to know how other Christian/Catholic communities in different countries observe this season. Is this season important in your country? If yes,what are the things do you usually do during this season.


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## manuycacu

Lancel0t said:
			
		

> ..., I would like to know how other Christian/Catholic communities in different countries observe this season. Is this season important in your country? If yes,what are the things do you usually do during this season.


 
I think it's difficult to takl about this in terms of countries since, as we said before, not all the people in a country follow the same religion. Moreover, in many cases, people are said to be Catholics but don't even go to Mass on Sundays. That's what we call "no practicantes", people who are "traditionally" Catholic, because their parents were so and they received the Sacrament of Baptism, but don't really follow such religion's guidelines, rules, etc. Others feel they are Catholics because they believe in God, Jesus, etc, but consider that Church as an institution is rather old-fashioned and they disagree with most of those guidelines and rules, so they live their religion in a "personal" way. The problem with this is that sometimes, this mixes with mere laziness, because it is obviously easier to say that you don't think going to Mass is that important, so you somehow "allow" yourself not to do so. 

Anyway, Catholic people who do practice their religion do the same things all over the world, or at least I think so: basically, go to Mass on Ash Wednesday and abstain and fast that day, as well as every Friday. Then, Holy Week starts on Palm Sunday, one week before Easter. This is a week of grieving and meditation. We commemorate Jesus' Last Supper on Holy Thursday, we go to the Via Crucis on Holy Friday, there's a wake on Holy Saturday night and then on Sunday, Easter, we celebrate Jesus Christ's resurrection. 

This is pretty much it although I guess I might be forgetting something...


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## dreamer

In Canada well at least in my community, ppl celebrate ash wednesday the exact same way as you do in your country Lancelot, I'm Catholic, but like many other places in the world, not everyone practices religion. As for mardi gras, we dont celebrate it, and again this is in my community


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## rob

Lancelot its really hard to argue religion especially because i do believe religion can save you...christ is the head...body is the church..so without the church, where would you be?

And paul also said that, what is faith? without doing something...

Religion is like love, 

You dont find religion, religon finds you..

ANyway, sharing my point of view.


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## Silvia

Lancelot, Ash Wednesday is not a holiday in Italy and everyone just works as usual. Therefore if you want to go to the mass, you should ask for a leave at work, and no one does, that also happens for other Christian celebrations. So in the end, only Catholic retired people go to the mass in my country, and probably some Catholic housewife and/or unemployed people.


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## Narda

Like Rob says, it is really hard to argue religion.  I find however than more and more people are denying themselves faith and hope.  I find that very sad for it must be a very lonely place.


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## Narda

I should have added to my previous message, it is not a critique, so please take it it sounds.  And it is true, He finds you...


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## leonestdebil

here in ireland last wednesday, a lot of people walked around with a sign on their forehead -just a small grey circle, obviously made with ashes or coal. i've been in quite a lot of european countries, but it's the first time ever that i've been seeing that...


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## Manuela

In Canada there are a lot of catholics too. We go to mass as well but we only abstain from eating meat...I didn't know about fasting; very interesting.


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## mjscott

In the US the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is "Fat Tuesday." In New Orleans, especially, people celebrate Mardi Gras (Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro) as the "last hurrah" before lent. During lent (some) Catholics give up something that is meaningful but unnecessary for them (such as sweets or coffee) as a sign of devotion for all that was given up for them at Easter. One of my students told me he was giving up homework for lent.

My reply?

-- "I DON'T THINK SO!...."


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## Lancel0t

mjscott said:
			
		

> One of my students told me he was giving up homework for lent.



Wow! What a good student you have. As I've noticed, today many people around the world don't consider their faith as an important factor in life. Well, we can't blame them and I do hope that they won't stay on that state for the rest of their lives.


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