Christians around the world mark Ash Wednesday as the solemn beginning of Lent, a 40-day season of prayer, fasting and reflection leading to Good Friday and Easter.
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A cross is carried during an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Ella Morone receives ashes during an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
A parishioner prays after receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday in Mexico City, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Salesian Priest Martin Mendoza marks a cross on a student forehead during Ash Wednesday Mass at the Juan de el Rizzo Salesian School in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, the start of the Christian season of Lent, a period of penitence and reflection that leads up to Easter. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Parishioners depart following an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Catholic faithfuls with the sign of the cross in ash made on their forehead, takes a selfie and sing after a Mass to mark the beginning of Ash Wednesday at the church of the Assumption in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)
Catholic faithfuls takes holy communion during Ash Wednesday Mass at the church of the Assumption Falomo in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)
Father Fabian Arias waits for a devotee to place an ash cross on the forehead during Ash Wednesday outside the Jacob K. Javits federal building, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Father Fabian Arias places an ash cross on the forehead of a devotee during Ash Wednesday outside the Jacob K. Javits federal building, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Lorraine Simmons, right, Sacristan of The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, distributes "Ashes To Go" for Ash Wednesday at a subway stop on New York's Upper West Side, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
A parishioner kneels during prayer, during an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Parishioners depart following an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Father Fabian Arias holds a bottle of ash during Ash Wednesday outside the Jacob K. Javits federal building, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Catholic Priest Oscar Olano gets ready to celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass at the Divine Child Church in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, the start of the Christian season of Lent, a period of penitence and reflection that leads up to Easter. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Catholic Sacristan Santiago Moreno, center, Sister Diva Camacho, right, and Lay Minister Yolanda Carrillo prepare ashes that will mark people's foreheads during Ash Wednesday Mass at the Divine Child Church in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, the start of the Christian season of Lent, a period of penitence and reflection that leads up to Easter. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Nuns attend Ash Wednesday Mass after getting the form of a cross marked on their foreheads at the Divine Child Church in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, the start of the Christian season of Lent, a period of penitence and reflection that leads up to Easter. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Erica Smeltzer looks up in the pew after receiving ashes during an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
The shadow of the crucifix surmounting his pastoral staff falls across Pope Leo XIV as he presides over Ash Wednesday Mass, marking the start of Catholic Lent, inside the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo XIV arrives, with bishops and cardinals in a penitential procession marking the start of the Catholic Lent, at the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, where he will preside over Ash Wednesday Mass. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
A parishioner receives ashes on Ash Wednesday in Mexico City, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
A cross is carried during an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Ella Morone receives ashes during an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
A parishioner prays after receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday in Mexico City, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Salesian Priest Martin Mendoza marks a cross on a student forehead during Ash Wednesday Mass at the Juan de el Rizzo Salesian School in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, the start of the Christian season of Lent, a period of penitence and reflection that leads up to Easter. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Parishioners depart following an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Catholic faithfuls with the sign of the cross in ash made on their forehead, takes a selfie and sing after a Mass to mark the beginning of Ash Wednesday at the church of the Assumption in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)
Catholic faithfuls takes holy communion during Ash Wednesday Mass at the church of the Assumption Falomo in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)
Father Fabian Arias waits for a devotee to place an ash cross on the forehead during Ash Wednesday outside the Jacob K. Javits federal building, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Father Fabian Arias places an ash cross on the forehead of a devotee during Ash Wednesday outside the Jacob K. Javits federal building, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Lorraine Simmons, right, Sacristan of The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, distributes "Ashes To Go" for Ash Wednesday at a subway stop on New York's Upper West Side, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
A parishioner kneels during prayer, during an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Parishioners depart following an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Father Fabian Arias holds a bottle of ash during Ash Wednesday outside the Jacob K. Javits federal building, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Catholic Priest Oscar Olano gets ready to celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass at the Divine Child Church in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, the start of the Christian season of Lent, a period of penitence and reflection that leads up to Easter. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Catholic Sacristan Santiago Moreno, center, Sister Diva Camacho, right, and Lay Minister Yolanda Carrillo prepare ashes that will mark people's foreheads during Ash Wednesday Mass at the Divine Child Church in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, the start of the Christian season of Lent, a period of penitence and reflection that leads up to Easter. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Nuns attend Ash Wednesday Mass after getting the form of a cross marked on their foreheads at the Divine Child Church in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, the start of the Christian season of Lent, a period of penitence and reflection that leads up to Easter. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Erica Smeltzer looks up in the pew after receiving ashes during an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Wednesday, Feb., 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
The shadow of the crucifix surmounting his pastoral staff falls across Pope Leo XIV as he presides over Ash Wednesday Mass, marking the start of Catholic Lent, inside the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo XIV arrives, with bishops and cardinals in a penitential procession marking the start of the Catholic Lent, at the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, where he will preside over Ash Wednesday Mass. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
A parishioner receives ashes on Ash Wednesday in Mexico City, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
