Ash Whatagain?

Having grown up in this area and in a catholic family I never gave much thought to ash Wednesday. When I returned to the area, my wife, whose hometown only had 1 catholic church, questioned me about the practice. Now, of course I knew it was the beginning of Lent , aperiod of time in which I would give up something I liked. That is, until I forgot I was supposed to be giving it up and ate it anyway. (for me it was usually a food, often candy) But what did this have to do with rubbing burnt palm ashes on my head? Having never given it much thought, this was a question I could not answer. Like most christian traditions there is actually more than one answer. I'll give you the christian and then the pagan version.

In the early Church, Ash Wednesday was the day on which those who had sinned, and who wished to be readmitted to the Church, would begin their public penance. As the practice of Ash Wednesday the first datable year was 960. Early on men and priests would have ashes sprinkled over their heads and women would have the cross made on their forehead. In the 12th century the practice of using the prior years burnt palms became a rule. What started as a way to mark those who were paying their pennance to re-enter the church, became a reminder of ones sins at the beginning of Lent.

In Nordic pagan religions they believed that placing ashes on their forehead would provide protection by Odin. This practice was done on Odin's day or what we now call Wednesday. This practice was spread into Europe during viking age of about 790-1066. It therefore comes as no surprise that this practice doesn't show up in church records until 960.

As you pass people today and see that familiar black smudge on their forehead, maybe just maybe they aren't celebrating Lent but hoping that Odin is looking out for them. As for me I think I will just find a marker and put a red "A" on my forehead. Maybe I can drum up some conversation and find a new member today.



http://www.americancatholic.org/newsletters/cu/ac0204.asp - Catholic reference for ash wednesday

http://www.examiner.com/bible-prophecy-in-national/the-pagan-origin-of-ash-wednesday - Pagan reference material

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking - Viking reference 1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Age - Viking reference 2