Today we celebrate Ash Wednesday. It marks the beginning of the holy season of Lent. In the Usus Antiquor, the ceremonies of this day begins with the blessing of ashes. The ashes are blessed with four prayers of ancient origin after which they are sprinkled with holy water and incensed while the priest says the antiphon Asperges Me.
Grant,O Lord, to Thy faithful people, that they may undertake with fitting piety the venerable solemnities of fasting, and complete them with steadfast devotion. Through our Lord...
The ashes are then distributed while antiphons are sung (or said). The ashes are traced in a form of cross at the forehead while the priest or minister says the following (in Latin, of course):
"Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return."
As for the Mass proper, the Collect asks God that we may be fit to undergo fasting in this season of Lent and that we may have "steadfast devotion". The Epistle talks of penance while the Gospel talks of doing penance but not making others now it except of course the Father.
This day is an obligatory fast and abstinence day in the Philippines. The other days of Lent, especially Fridays, being days of penance.
Further Readings:
- Propers of the Mass at virgomaterdie.com
- (1907). Ash Wednesday. In The Catholic Encyclopedia.
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