US Edition
When does Lent start? Is Ash Wednesday the first day of Lent?
Ash Wednesday initiates Lent with ashes made from last year's palms and fasting, observed by multiple Christian denominations to prepare spiritually for Easter.
- Ash Wednesday 2026 on Feb. 18 marks the start of Lent, the 40-day season running until April 2, signaling a time for penitential renewal.
- Grounded in the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, the 40-day timeframe was set at the Council of Nicaea .
- At services, priests place ashes made from blessed Palm Sunday palms on worshippers' foreheads as a cross, saying `Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return` referencing Genesis.
- For many, Lent involves fasting, prayer, and abstaining from meat, with Catholics asked to fast and abstain on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, April 3, according to the Catholic Telegraph.
- Yesterday, Fat Tuesday ended the Mardi Gras season on Feb. 17, 2026, as Palm Sunday on March 29, Good Friday on April 2 and Easter on April 5 approach during Holy Week.
16 Articles
16 Articles
In the Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is a day of strict fasting, and Lent begins, lasting until the Easter Triduum. During the fast, meatless dishes are expected to dominate the menu, and believers often abstain from alcohol.
With Ash Wednesday, the 40-day fasting and Passion period begins for Christians worldwide. 46 days before Easter, a period of reflection, conscious renunciation – and for many a new spiritual beginning.The Passion period, derived from the Latin "passio" for suffering, reminds us of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. Although the period up to Easter covers 46 calendar days, traditionally only 40 days are fasted.The six Sundays are considere…
This day begins the 40-day period of spiritual preparation for Easter.What are the rituals of this date.
Today, February 18th, is a date marked for many believers as it is celebrated Ash Wednesday. And although for many people it will surely be a day without more, the truth is that for others it is a moment of introspection. In any case, it marks the beginning of Lent, that period that always arrives with an air of pause and of some recollection and that somehow, advances what will come next, that is, Holy Week, but that, moreover, is marked by cer…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
