With Opened Bible

Why does the Church impose ashes at the beginning of Lent?

To answer this question, we must return to the source of everything: the Bible. What does it say about ashes in the context of Lent's spiritual journey? Understanding this helps us grasp their deeper significance in our faith.

In the Holy Scriptures, ashes have several meanings. First, ashes are the image of nothingness, of what is worthless. It is the image of the human condition on earth: "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:19) Thus, ashes are often coupled with dust: "I have presumed to speak to the Lord, though I am but dust and ashes." (Genesis 18:27)

Ashes are also a symbol of repentance and mourning. Indeed, sackcloth and ashes go hand in hand in this respect: 'Daughter of my people, dress in sackcloth, roll in the ashes. Mourn as for an only child with bitter wailing.'  (Jeremiah 6:26) The wicked political and religious leaders were invited to do the same: 'Howl, you shepherds, and wail! Roll on the ground, leaders of the flock! The time for your slaughter has come; like choice rams you shall fall.' (Jeremiah 25:34) To show his grief, after the death of his children and the loss of all his possessions, Job sat in the dust and covered himself with ashes: (Job 2:8; 16:15; 42:6; Joel 1:8). This reminds believers of the  importance of mourning and shared human vulnerability during Lent.



Ashes are also associated with penance. Here, they are coupled with fasting: 'I turned to the Lord God, to seek help, in prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.' (Daniel 9:3) The City of Nineveh did it to show their desire for conversion. (Jonah 3,5-9) Jesus invited his 

audience to do the same:

'Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in your midst had been 

done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.' (Luke 

10:13). This encourages believers to see Lent as a time for spiritual renewal and hope through 

repentance.

By imposing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful, the Church invites them to enter the season of 

Lent with a humble and contrite heart, helping them feel more connected to their need for humility 

and reminding them of their shared human fragility.