Who:                Parishes and Schools of the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg and other Christian communities 
What:               Observance of Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent
When:              Wednesday, March 5, 2025   

Noteworthy: In 2025, Bishop Gregory Parkes is challenging Catholics to complete 1,000,000 Acts of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. During this Lenten Season, which lasts until Holy Thursday, April 17^th, Catholics will be working toward this goal.

Everyone is welcome to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday, and it is one of the most attended church services of the year. During services on Ash Wednesday, the minister dips his or her thumb into black ashes and traces a cross on each person’s forehead. This gesture calls the participants to humility and conversion, reminding them of their mortality.  The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are made by burning the palm leaves that were blessed on Palm Sunday during the previous year. Ash Wednesday is the first day of the season of Lent, a six-week period of penance and spiritual preparation for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection at Easter. To find a local Catholic church, visit www.parishnearme.org.

The media are invited to cover Ash Wednesday services at parishes and schools in the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Please contact Teresa Peterson to request clearance first, tlp@dosp.org or 727-374-0217.

Additional Information:           

The 1,000,000 Acts of Mercy Challenge is designed to mobilize Catholics to actively participate in a wide range of activities that address a person’s physical or spiritual needs. These activities include serving at a local soup kitchen, participating in food drives, donating baby clothes to a local crisis pregnancy center, helping local refugees, assisting the elderly, and other charitable acts.

The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy recognized by the Catholic Church are:

Corporal Works of Mercy:

Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead.

Spiritual Works of Mercy:

Teach others about God and the Faith, counsel the doubtful, encourage reconciliation with God and others, bear wrongs patiently, forgive offenses willingly, comfort the afflicted, pray for the living and the dead.

Photo Caption: Saint Leo University student receives ashes on Ash Wednesday.