17/02/2026
The St. Padre Pio - BEC of Pinsao Proper invites you in the Eucharistic Celebration for the Liturgical Feast of the Day of Ashes (Ash Wednesday) on February 18, 2026, 5:00 PM at Luna's Residence, Benin 2 Road, Pinsao Proper.
๐ธ๐๐ ๐ธ๐น๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐โ ๐๐ผ๐ปโ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ธ๐ ๐ ๐ฃ ๐ป๐๐ช ๐ ๐ ๐ธ๐ค๐๐๐ค*
From the beginning of the 2nd century, Christians began preparing for Easter with two days of fasting and penitence. Later, this practice was applied to all of Holy Week. By 325, the Council of Nicea already testifies to a 40-day preparation for Easter, after the โmodelโ of Jesus who spent 40 days in the desertโnot to mention other highly significant 40-day or 40-year periods such as the flood that lasted 40 days and 40 nights, the 40-year sojourn of the people of Israel in the desert, and the 40 days in which Moses fasted on Mount Sinai, or Elijah on Mount Horeb.
At first, Lent began six Sundays prior to Easter. But given the fact that Sundays were not fast days, beginning in the 5th century, Holy Thursday and Good Friday were separated from the Easter Triduum, and were calculated as part of the forty days of Lent. It was later decided to anticipate the beginning of Lent by four days. Thus, Ash Wednesday was designated as the beginning of Lent and the public penitence required by those who had committed serious crimes (apostasy, murder, adultery). Dressed in penitential dress, and sprinkled with ashes, these penitents would circulate throughout the cities, reminders of those who are โthrown out of paradiseโ. Toward the end of the 11th century, the practice of public penance began to fade out, and the practice of imposing ashes on the faithful took its place. In the 12th century, it became customary to obtain the ashes from the olive (or palm) branches used the previous year.
*https://www.vaticannews.va/en/liturgical-holidays/ash-wednesday.html
