For many Christians, Ash Wednesday signals the beginning of Lent, a six-week period of repentance and self-denial meant to remind the faithful of Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the desert.

Donaghy said the art of the ash on the forehead is a difficult one. "It's not the best medium for an artist to work in," he said. As for inexplicable shapes, "I've had a few," he said.

Lighten up, Ash Wednesday. A New York-based advocacy group called Parity is asking Christians who favor LGBT equality — “queer positive Christians,” in their parlance — to show support by ...

Part of the nationwide “Glitter Ash Wednesday” movement and the growing trend of Christianity becoming more LGBT-inclusive, churches across the metro handed out glitter ashes, including Hibben ...

The priest said he was busy all day on Ash Wednesday, celebrating three well-attended Masses in the chapel of Comeau Catholic Campus Center -- 12:30 p.m., 5:45 p.m., and a candlelight Mass at 8 p ...

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Lenten season, a period of 40-some days focused on spiritual purification and repentance. It is a day of fasting for Catholic and Anglican churches.

One focus of this year’s commemoration will be a hybrid in-person/online Ash Wednesday service taking place at St. Lydia’s Dinner Church in Brooklyn, NY. The service will begin at 7:30 p.m ...