I am not Catholic, but as one may assume, I have a lot of Catholic friends and acquaintances. Catholics, like Jews, have a lot of religious holidays throughout the calendar year.

Being a Latter-Day Saint, or more commonly known as a Mormon, I do not celebrate the Catholic religious rituals that are common at this time of year. One of those rituals is Ash Wednesday. You can know it is Ash Wednesday when your friends or co-workers show up to work or school with a "smudge" of "dirt" on their forehead.

But what exactly is Ash Wednesday? Where did it come from and what does it signify? Ask a Catholic and the chances that they will know the answer to either question is slim.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, which means that Easter is in exactly 40 days from today (March 16). At Masses and services of worship on this day, ashes are imposed on the foreheads of Catholics. The priest marks the forehead of each participant with black ashes in the shape of a cross, which the worshiper traditionally wears until sundown. The act echoes the ancient Near Eastern tradition of throwing ash over one's head to signify repentance before God. The priest or minister says one of the following when applying the ashes:

Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return. - Genesis 3:19
Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel. - Mark 1:15
Repent, and hear the good news. - Mark 1:15

In the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is observed by fasting, abstinence from meat, and repentance. On Ash Wednesday, Roman Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are permitted to consume only one full meal, which may be supplemented by two smaller meals, which together should not equal the full meal. Some Roman Catholics will go beyond the minimum obligations demanded by the Church and undertake a complete fast or a bread and water fast. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are also days of abstinence from meat (for those Catholics age 14 and over), as are all Fridays in Lent. Most Catholics will give up some form of "necessity" during the 40 day period of Lent. This may be anything from food to television, depending on the person's desire to abstain from certain "temptations of the body." Personally, I think that if they are wanting to give up a "temptation," such as alcohol, they should do it for a lot longer than just 40 days. But let's find out the history behind Ash Wednesday.

What is the purpose of the ashes on the forehead?

Ashes were used in ancient times, according to the Bible, to express penitence. Dusting oneself with ashes was the penitent's way of expressing sorrow for sins and faults. The ashes are sometimes prepared by burning palm leaves from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebrations. At masses on Ash Wednesday Psalm 51 is generally read.

How did Ash Wednesday originate?

Tradition holds that Ash Wednesday is of pagan origin, but most Catholics will be quick to deny that, claiming that it was more or less "invented" around 900 AD. That being said, there is no definitive answer to its' origin. If it's pagan, as some claim, there are no records to indicate when it started. On the other hand, if it was "invented" in the 10th century AD, Catholics do not have evidence as to why it began.

However, as mentioned above, it is a time of fasting and penitence for the practicing Catholic. A time to do better and be closer to God.