Ashes at sunrise, February 26

A detail of a stained glass window at St. Mary showing the Crown of Thorns, an image associated with Lent

submitted by St. Mary Church, Manchester 

As winter begins to fade and hopes of spring grow stronger, people of faith prepare with the season of Lent which begins with Ash Wednesday (this year on Feb. 26) and concludes with the joyous celebration of Easter on April 12.

Ash Wednesday is the day when otherwise neat and proper people may be seen with dark smudges on their foreheads. The “smudge” is actually a sign of the cross made from the ashes of burnt palms from last year’s Palm Sunday. They are imposed on the foreheads of the faithful with the somber words: “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” or “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.”

Because receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday is so starkly meaningful, many wish to do so. And yet often work, school, or other commitments make this impossible. To accommodate all, St. Mary Catholic Church in Manchester begins Ash Wednesday with a “Sunrise Mass” at 7:00 am. People of all faiths are welcome to attend, and during the Mass all will be invited to come forward to receive the ashes on their forehead.

The quiet, penitential 40 days of Lent prepare hearts for the wonder of Easter and the beauty and joy it promises. Take time on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 26 – at sunrise / 7:00 am or at either of the other two Masses at St. Mary’s that day: 8:30 am or 7:00 pm. Let the visual sign of the cross remind you to begin a thoughtful and prayerful 40 days. St. Mary Church is located at 210 W. Main Street in the Village of Manchester, just 2 blocks west of the downtown. If you have any questions, please call Fr. Bosco or the Parish office at 734-428-8811.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.