February 14 will not only be a day to cherish your love, but for Christians, it will be a day to celebrate their faith.
This year, Valentine’s Day coincides with Ash Wednesday, which for Christians marks the beginning of Lent of prayer, sacrifice and penance.
So, can Christians enjoy chocolate, or should they fast on Valentine’s Day?
Here’s what you need to know about Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent:
What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday marks the start of the 40 days of Lent, not including Sundays, which end on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. During Lent, Christians are called to prepare for Easter Sunday, the day they believe Jesus Christ, the son of God, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
When is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday always occurs six and a half weeks before Easter. Since Ash Wednesday depends on the date of Easter, it can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.
When is Easter and Ash Wednesday in 2024?
This year, Easter is March 31, so Ash Wednesday will be February 14.
Who observes Lent?
Not all Christian dominations observe the religious day of obligation. Those who do so include Roman Catholics as well as Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican denominations.
Why do people receive ashes on Ash Wednesday?
During Ash Wednesday Mass, a priest will mark a worshiper’s forehead with ashes in the shape of a cross and say “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” or “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
Ash Wednesday gets its name from the Christian practice of placing ashes on a person’s forehead as a sign of repentance. The use of ashes dates back to the Ninevites, ancient inhabitants of present-day Iraq, who used sackcloth and ashes as a sign of penitence, according to catholic.org.
Where do the ashes come from?
Today’s ashes are the dried palm remains from the previous year’s Palm Sunday, which marks the start of Holy Week. Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, where he was greeted with palm branches. Five days later he was crucified, according to the Bible.
What is Lent?
Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, which is a period of preparation for celebrating Easter.
The six-week period is meant to be celebrated through self-sacrifice, prayer, and other religious activities leading up to Easter, the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead to sit at the right hand of God.
Who faces Lent?
During Lent, Catholics aged 18 to 59 are required to fast one meal per day and abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, as well as abstaining from meat on Fridays. Failure by Catholics to observe any day of penance, or any substantial number of days, is considered a sin.
People, including children, often sacrifice something they cherish.
Why do people give up something for Lent?
During Lent, Christians will give up something they enjoy – like cookies, candy or alcohol – or something they feel they need to stop – like watching TV or social media.
For Christians, giving up something represents the sacrifice of Jesus Christ when he spent 40 days in the desert praying and fasting before dying on the cross.
What is Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day, according to Library of Congress, is a day when Americans celebrate love and friendship. It has its origins in the Romans who celebrated the feast of Lupercalia, a spring festival, on February 15. It was Christianized and moved to February 14 to honor a martyr named Saint Valentine.
Can we celebrate Valentine’s Day on Ash Wednesday?
So should you ditch those romantic dinner plans? For those of Christian faith, many religious leaders encourage those observing Ash Wednesday to fast and abstain from meat; there are other days available to celebrate the holiday.
These include National Hug Day on February 12, National Kiss Day on February 13, National Random Acts of Kindness Day on February 17, and National Wine Day on February 18.
You might want to wait until those days to celebrate.
Greg Giesen contributed to this story.
What to observe:Ash Wednesday, Valentine’s Day intersect. Here’s what you need to know
