PROVIDENCE – Christians from around the world will celebrate the beginning of the Lenten season this week on Ash Wednesday. Bishop Thomas J. Tobin will preside at the 12:05 Mass in the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul where he will bless and distribute ashes in the sign of a cross onto the foreheads of the faithful.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the forty-day Lenten Season when Catholics celebrate by fasting, abstinence from meat and repentance. Lent precedes the celebration of Easter, Christ’s resurrection from the dead. The ashes for Ash Wednesday Mass come from burning the blessed palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration.
The diocesan Office of Communications will offer weekly Lenten reflections on-line to provide busy Catholics a convenient means by which to practice and stay connected to their faith during the week. Bishop Tobin’s homily will begin the series of reflections on Ash Wednesday.
The weekly Lenten reflections will be available each week on the diocesan website, www.dioceseofprovidence.org and on Facebook, @dioprov and Twitter @dioprovidence.
