The Biblical Foundations of Lent and Ash Wednesday

8 min read

Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent, the 40 days of fasting and penance that culminate in Easter Sunday. Yesterday, parishioners around the world had the sign of the cross made on their foreheads with ashes to mark the holy day. While Ash Wednesday and Lent have been observed by Catholics for centuries, today, some Protestants also choose to observe the tradition. But what are Ash Wednesday and Lent? And what is the Bible’s role in their origins and traditions?

The Date of Lent and Easter

Though Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent today, Lent is the older of the two. Lent was established and accepted only after the early church sorted out how to calculate the date of Easter. At the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, “all the Churches agreed that Easter, the Christian Passover, should be celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox.”[1] Since the spring equinox usually falls on March 21, the date of Easter in the Western Church occurs “between March 22 and April 25.”[2]

At Nicaea, the council settled on the 40-day fast period for Lent because it has roots in biblical writings. God sends rain on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights when Noah and his entourage go into the ark (Genesis 7:4). Moses sits atop Mount Sinai receiving instructions from God for 40 days (Exodus 24:18). Elijah “walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb” when he flees Jezebel’s wrath (1 Kings 19:8). The 40 days of Lent, however, are primarily identified with the time Jesus spent in the desert fasting, praying, and being tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1–11). But though the length of Lent was set by the council, its start date in relation to Easter was still undecided.

In was not until AD 601 that the start date of Lent was set. Pope Gregory moved the start of Lent to 46 days before Easter, and established Ash Wednesday at the same time. This allowed for 40 days of fasting—where only one full meal and no meat are to be consumed—with six Sundays counted as feast days—when fasting does not apply—for a total of 46 days. He also established the tradition of marking parishioners’ foreheads with ashes in the shape of a cross. But why ashes?

Symbolism and Use of Ashes

The symbolism of marking oneself with ashes traces its history to ancient traditions. The Old Testament depicts several moments of figures who used ashes and sackcloth, both of which were often present when mourning or making a petition or repenting to God. In Esther 4:1, it says that “When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes and went through the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry” (NRSVUE). In an example of repentance, Job 42:6, as he repented before God, says, “Therefore, I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes” (NABRE). In Daniel 9:3 says, “I turned to the Lord God, to seek help, in prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” Also in Jonah 3:6, after he preached to the people of Nineveh, it says: “When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.” And in 1 Maccabees 3:47, it states the army prepared for battle: “That day they fasted and wore sackcloth; they sprinkled ashes on their heads and tore their garments.”

In addition to these biblical accounts, there are examples found in the history of the early church. In the book The History of the Church, the church historian Eusebius writes about the use of ashes where “an apostate named Natalis came to Pope Zephyrinus clothed in sackcloth and ashes, begging for forgiveness.”[1] Another use in the eighth century was for those who were dying, “who were laid on the ground on top of sackcloth and were sprinkled with ashes. The priest would bless the dying person with holy water, saying, ‘Remember that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return.’”[1]

Ash Wednesday and Lent Today

These words are still uttered today by the minister, deacon, or priest when they mark the foreheads of their parishioners. Another admonition sometimes given is “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” The connection of the ashes to the Gospels, which record the life of Jesus, comes from their preparation. As for where the ashes come from, they are made from burning the blessed palms from the Palm Sunday celebration the year prior, which commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem the week of his death. Making the sign of the cross with these ashes ties the beginning of Lent, 46 days earlier, to the commencement of holy week the Sunday before Easter.

For Christians, Lent can be a time to refocus on spiritual life. The three pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. One place Jesus’s teaching on these is reflected in Matthew 6:2–18. Here Matthew recounts Jesus’s teaching to recite the “Our Father” (or Lord’s Prayer) and when giving to the needy (almsgiving): “do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret.” As for fasting, he instructed not to look somber, but “put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others” (NRSVUE). Both times he ended with your “Your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

Today, one of the most popular masses is the one that takes place on Ash Wednesday, which is particularly note-worthy since it does not take place on a Sunday and is also not one of the holy days of obligation. Anglican, Lutheran, and some other Protestant churches, who also sometimes observe Lent, hold Ash Wednesday services. Most importantly, however, Ash Wednesday and Lent lead up to the holiest day in the Christian calendar, Easter, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus. Ashes and fasting, both drawing on several biblical traditions, create a season of penitence and expectation as Easter approaches. In this way, the Bible’s impact on our rituals and sense of sacred time becomes clear.

During this year’s season of Lent, we invite you to visit Museum of the Bible and engage with our artifacts and exhibits pertaining to Easter. In preparation, museum guests can view our beautiful stained glass window of Jesus on the morning of his resurrection by Louis Comfort Tiffany, a full-size replica of Michelangelo’s Pietà, and our special exhibit of sculptor Gib Singleton’s Stations of the Cross, another Catholic tradition that follows Jesus’s last steps. The museum will also make available several of these artifacts on our website. We hope you will engage with these artifacts and exhibits as you prepare for Easter.

By Judy Hilovsky, Copywriter and Editor

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