Lent season is a start of fast and abstinence for the people of the Catholic faith in preparation for Easter. This year the lent season started on Ash Wednesday the 22nd of February and on this day Catholics will go to church to receive the sign of the cross in ashes as shown in the pictures. In the bible it is believed that Jesus Christ fasted for 40 days before his death and so the Catholics believe that starting on Ash Wednesday they would also fast and abstain for 40 days. However, fasting does not mean not eating at all. Some people eat only vegetables and some just don't eat meat (chicken, beef, pork and so on). In my family, we do not eat meat on Fridays but we are able to eat seafood because we do not consider that meat as it does not satisfy us as much as eating meat. The Catholics abstain by not doing the things they love the most. For example, if they love bowling then they must not do it often or try not to do it at all.
In this picture, the Communion ministers and the priest would use the ashes (which are made of burnt palm leaves) to make a sign of the cross on the foreheads of each Catholic person. This is made to repent from their sins and to remind them that from dust they were made and to dust they will become. It is also to remind them the death of Jesus Christ and how much God love them that he sacrificed his only Son on Good Friday (two days before Easter).
These pictures show how many Catholics were in the church of St. John's Cathedral on Ash Wednesday in the evening.
This is the picture of the sign of the cross on the forehead of a Catholic person. For 40 days Catholics fast and abstain. They for confession so that their sins will be forgiven. Catholics are not suppose to show that they are abstaining of fasting because they are suppose to suffer silently and not make it known to others. Lent season is a month to be patient and understanding with us no matter the situation therefore I hope now people will understand the meaning behind Lent season and how important it is to this religion.
BY: SHARYL ANDREA STEPHEN
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