From Ash Wednesday to Easter: A primer
Easter is coming.
For some, this means a solemn Lenten march toward Easter Sunday.
It might also mean fasting and an abstinence from eating meat on Friday.
And in a quirk in the calendar, it could also mean a corned beef-free St. Patrick’s Day as it falls on a Friday this year.
It all begins with Ash Wednesday.
When is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday is Feb. 22. For many Christians, it is a day of fasting and prayer and marks the start of Lent. It falls 46 days before Easter.
Why do some churches put ashes on foreheads?
For some churches, the practice of placing ashes on one’s forehead in the form of a cross is part of Ash Wednesday. Typically, the ashes come from the burning of the palms distributed on Palm Sunday. The ashes symbolize both death and repentance. As a priest or presider applies the ashes, the words “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” are spoken.
When does Lenten fish fry season start?
The official start to the Friday fish fry season is Friday. Many Christians abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent as a reminder that Jesus died on a Friday.
When is St. Patrick’s Day?
The Feast of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is Friday, March 17. It is a day to celebrate all things Irish by wearing green, eating corn beef and attending parades and parties.
Can I eat meat on St. Patrick’s Day since it falls on a Friday?
For many Christians, Fridays during Lent are a day of fasting and not eating meat. This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday. Depending on where you live and where you worship, one might get a free pass to eat corned beef this year. For
Catholics in the Cleveland Diocese, Bishop Malesic has granted a dispensation to those who feel it is “absolutely necessary” in order to celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick. Malesic asks those to pick a different non-friday during Lent to abstain from eating meat or make an offering to the poor.
When is Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday is April 2. Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week and falls the Sunday before Easter. Palms are often distributed in church to mark the day Jesus returned to Jerusalem.
When is Good Friday?
Good Friday marks the day Jesus died on the cross. It falls on Friday, April 7.
When is Easter Sunday 2023?
Easter is Sunday, April 9. The day marks the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
When is Orthodox Easter?
Orthodox Easter is Sunday, April 16. Many churches follow the Gregorian calendar, but Orthodox churches follow Julian calendar that pushes the holy day a week later.
Craig Webb, who is a big fan of the Reese’s peanut butter egg, can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com.