Ash marks foreheads and the beginning of Lent on Wednesday

Catholics line up outside Baclaran Church in Parañaque City to receive the sign of the cross on their foreheads on Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2016. Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent, the six-week period before Easter Sunday. Photo: Danny Pata

Concentrated in purpose, devotees flocked to churches on Wednesday morning to hear Mass and receive the sign of the cross on their foreheads in ash.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the six-week season of reflection, fasting and penance leading to Easter Sunday, celebrated as the day of Christ's resurrection.

The marking of ash on foreheads is to remind the faithful of the words of Genesis 3:19—"'Ikaw tao, ikaw ay alabok, sa alabok ka nanggaling at sa alabok ka rin pupunta,'" quoted Father Joey Echano, rector of the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran, in a GMA News report.

To prepare for Ash Wednesday, churches collected the palm branches used in last year's Palm Sunday and burned them. "Nanawagan kami last week at mga nakaraang linggo sa mga tao kung meron silang mga palaspas na pinasbasan nila noong nakaraang taon na i-donate sa amin at iyon ang gagamitin namin," said Echano.

The smudging of ash on people's foreheads to mark the beginning of Lent occurred throughout the country on Wednesday, as a report on GMA News showed.

— BM, GMA News