Ash Wednesday: Where It Comes From and Why It Matters
Yesterday, people all over the world went to their local church and observe a tradition known as Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and reflection leading up to the celebration of Jesus’ death and resurrection on Easter Sunday. It is widely observed by Catholics and many Protestants also partake in this tradition. But where did Ash Wednesday come from and why do we practice it?
The Origins of Ash Wednesday
At Nicea, the council set the 40 days for Lent because of its biblical significance. In the Bible, the number 40 is often related to a period of testing, trial, purification, growth, renewal, and transformation. In Genesis 7:4, God sent rain on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights. In Exodus 24:18, Moses stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days. And, in the New Testament, Jesus spent 40 days in the desert to fast and pray. It was there that he overcame the temptation of the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).
In 1091 AD, Pope Urban II established Ash Wednesday as a day to start the 40 days of fasting with confession, repentance, and reflection.
The Symbol of Ashes
On Ash Wednesday, you may have noticed people with a cross drawn in ash on their foreheads. But what does it mean, and why is it important?
In Genesis 18:27, Abraham says, “Now that I have been so bold to ask to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes…” In Job 42:6, Job repents in sackcloth and ashes and acknowledges his need for God’s forgiveness. In Jonah 3:5-6, Jonah preaches to the people of Ninevah, and they fast, repent, and put on sackcloth and ashes.
The ashes are a reminder of our need for God’s redemption. We mourn and repent of our sins and remember the eternal salvation we have now because of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
The ashes that once symbolized death now symbolize the new life we have in Christ—the old has gone and the new has come!
Ash Wednesday Today
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
These are the words that are said as the ashes are placed on your forehead. It’s a quote from Genesis 3:19 when God spoke to Adam after sending him away from the Garden of Eden.
Ash Wednesday is a powerful reminder of the gravity of our sin, the mortality we face because of it, and our deep dependence on God. It’s a time to turn from our sins and reorient our lives around the One who made a way for us to spend eternity with him.
So, as we receive the ashes and hear those words from Genesis, let’s pause and reflect—not just on the fleeting nature of our lives, but on the grace that allows us to begin anew.
Kali Gibson is the editor-in-chief for So We Speak and a copywriter for the Youversion Bible App.
