Ash Wednesday in Yorktown

Local parishes in Yorktown are preparing for Lenten season with Ash Wednesday services on Feb. 22.

Ash Wednesday is a Christian tradition that marks the beginning of Lent, which ends on Easter Sunday. Christians engage in repentance and fasting or “giving something up” for 40 days to represent Jesus’ fasting for 40 days in the desert, while he denied Satan’s temptations.

The period of discipline is meant to remember Jesus’ sacrifice of his life, the gift of redemption, as well as his resurrection. 

On Ash Wednesday, practitioners wear ashes on their forehead as an act of humility. Parishioners are urged to perform acts of fast and abstinence during lent.

Fasting is described as eating one full meal a day—with two smaller meals during the day for strength that do not equal a full meal together. This is suggested for those who are 18 to 59. Fasting is recommended on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Abstaining requires one to pass on eating meat on certain days, like Ash Wednesday, Fridays during Lent. 

Here are some local churches that are holding Ash Wednesday services:

• First Presbyterian Church of Yorktown is offering both a daytime and an evening service. The daytime service begins at 11 a.m., followed by the seniors’ lunch brunch at noon. The evening Ash Wednesday service is at 8:30 p.m, and it's followed by Adult Education class. The Adult Education's focus will be Adam Hamilton’s 24 Hours That Changed the World.
• St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Churchwill hold mass at 6:30 a.m., 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. Blessed Ashes are distributed after the homily at Mass and the 4:30 p.m. word service
• Yorktown United Methodist Church is will distribute ashes during the 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. services
• Grace Lutheran Church will hold their worship services at 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Church will hold its Ash Wednesday Service at at 7:30 p.m. and will distribute communion and imposition of ashes
• St. Mary's Episcopal Church is offering services at noon and 7:30 p.m. where ashes will be distributed. Compile and evening prayer is at 6 p.m.

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