Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1903 — About Ash Wednesday. [ARTICLE]

About Ash Wednesday.

Last Wednesday, Feb. 25th was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. The word Lent has its origin in “lengthentide,” a Saxon term for spring, as being the time of the lengthening of the day. Originally the season of fasting began on what is now the first Sunday in Lent, but, it being found that when Sundays were omitted there remained only thirty-six days, the period was made by Pope Gregory XV to begin four days earlier, on what has since been called Ash Wednesday. This name was derived from the notable ceremony of the day in the Roman catholic church. It was the thought proper to remind the faithful, at the commencement of the penitential season, that they were but dust and ashes, and they were blessed and sprinkled wi<h ashes and holy water. The ashes used were formerly made of the palms consecrated at the palm Sunday of the previous year. Ash Wednesday is a movable holy day, always coming just six weeks before Easter Sunday, and marking the duration of Lent. The latter season is always observed by the Catholic and Episcopal churches, and is comfng to be more and more observed every year by Christians of other denomination, especially in the large cities