Tura, Feb 18: Catholic faithful across the Garo Hills marked Ash Wednesday with solemn devotion, attending church services to usher in the sacred season of Lent — a forty-day period of prayer, fasting, and repentance leading up to Easter.
The observance of Lent dates back to the early centuries of Christianity. By the fourth century, the Church had formally established a forty-day period of spiritual preparation before Easter. The number forty carries deep biblical symbolism, representing trial, purification, and renewal.
The foundation of Lent is rooted in the example of Jesus Christ, who fasted for forty days and forty nights in the desert before beginning His public ministry. During this time, He endured temptation and hardship but remained steadfast in faith. Catholics follow this example through prayer, fasting, abstinence, and acts of charity throughout Lent.
Ash Wednesday is observed by Catholics as the doorway to this sacred season. The ritual of imposing ashes on the forehead began in the early Church as a sign of penance and humility. The ashes symbolize human mortality and repentance, reminding the faithful of life’s transient nature and the need for spiritual renewal.
In Tura, the Ash Wednesday observance was held with deep reverence at the Sacred Heart Shrine in Chandmari, where a large number of faithful gathered for prayer and reflection during the main evening service.
Auxiliary Bishop of Tura, Rt Rev C J Jose, led the congregation in the Ash Wednesday service. During the liturgy, he emphasized that Lent is not merely a ritual tradition but a time for true repentance, reconciliation, and spiritual transformation. He also highlighted the importance of fasting during this holy season.
A significant moment of the service was the inscription of the cross on the foreheads of devotees. The ashes used for the ritual were prepared by burning the palm leaves from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration. These palms, once blessed and carried in celebration, were reduced to ashes — symbolizing humility and the fleeting nature of life. The ashes were blessed with holy water before being reverently smeared on the foreheads of the faithful in the form of a cross.
With Ash Wednesday marking the beginning of Lent, Catholics from today begin regular fasting and abstinence. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are observed as days of strict fasting, while Fridays during Lent are marked by abstinence from meat. These practices serve as spiritual discipline, encouraging believers to deepen their faith and draw closer to God.
