Ash Wednesday: How ashes used to mark foreheads of faithful are made
The faithful have their foreheads marked with ashes at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral today, Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025, signifying the start of the season of Lent. | Niña Mae Oliverio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Ash Wednesday, which falls and is celebrated this year on March 5, signifying the start of the season of Lent for Catholics, which lasts for 40 days ending with the resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday.
Most Filipino Catholics attend masses on this day to have their foreheads marked with a cross from ashes of burnt palm frond crosses blessed on Palm Sunday a year ago.
READ:
Season of Lent begins: A time of reflection and renewal
Ash Wednesday: Why do Christians put ashes on their foreheads?
These are palm fronds shaped as crosses which Catholics mostly place on their doors or in in conspicuous places in their houses after these are blessed during Palm Sunday masses.
The palm fronds of wilted crosses collected by the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Miguel Arcangel in Argao in southern Cebu are burned to be used to mark foreheads of the faithful on Ash Wednesday. | Victor Kintanar
When these wilted palm frond crosses are removed and replaced with new ones on Palm Sunday a year later, the wilted frond crosses are returned to the church or are collected by the church and these will be be burned and made into the ashes that will be used to mark the faithful during Ash Wednesday masses.
But have you ever wondered how these ashes are made? Here is how it’s usually done as shown by Rev. Fr. Arnel Autida of the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Miguel Arcangel in Argao Cebu. This is also done in different Catholic churches and parishes.
On the eve of Ash Wednesday in Argao town, these wilted palms that were woven into crosses a year ago are collected and burned at the anteroom of the sacristy of the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Miguel Arcangel in Argao town in southern Cebu.
In Argao town, the collected wilted palm frond crosses are placed at the sacristy of the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Miguel Arcangel, which will be burned on the even of Ash Wednesday. | Victor Kintanar
On the eve of Ash Wednesday in Argao town, Rev. Fr. Arnel Autida of the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Miguel Arcangel leads the burning of the gathered wilted palm frond crosses together with some members of the laity. | Victor Kintanar
This is a close up of the wilted palm frond crosses to be made into ashes by the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Miguel Arcangel in Argao town. | Victor Kintanar
At the Archdiiocesan Shrine of San Miguel Arcangel, Rev. Fr. Arnel Autida together with some members of the laity prepare to do the ritual of burning wilted palm frond crosses to be made into ashes for Ash Wednesday. | Victor Kintanar
In Argao, the collected wilted palm frond crosses are burned and made into ashes at the sacristy of the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Miguel Arcangel. | Victor Kintanar
Rev. Fr. Arnel Autida of the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Miguel Arcangel in Argao town leads the burning of the collected wilted palm frond crosses at the Shrine to make it into ashes for Ash Wednesday. | Victor Kintanar
Rev. Fr. Arnel Autida of the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Miguel Arcangel in Argao town sprinkles holy water at the still smoldering burnt palm frond crosses at the sacristy of the shrine. | Victor Kintanar
This is a close up shot of the still smoldering remains of the burnt palm frond crosses, which will later be collected and will be used to mark the forehead of Catholics in Argao attending Ash Wednesday masses. | Victor Kintanr
Rev. Fr. Arnel Autida, together with some members of the laity, led the rite for the burning of palms with the prayer:
“Merciful God, you called us from the dust of the earth, and claimed us for Christ in the waters of Baptism. Look upon us as we prepare for the forty days of Lent by burning these palms to create the ashes that will mark us as penitents.”
During the holy masses today, March 5, the ashes from the burnt palms will be applied to the foreheads of the Catholic faithful in the shape of a cross, signaling the beginning of Lent.
Ash Wednesday marks the penitential journey of the faithful with the ashes as a reminder that, “we are dust and to dust we shall return”.
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