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ASH WEDNESDAY -- February 14, 2024

Wed, February 14th, 2024
12:00 am
- 11:59 pm

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Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a penitential period where Christian engage in a variety of spiritual practices to foster reflection, confession and repentance and fasting. This season is celebrated by Christians throughout the world in many different ways. For most Christians, the season ends with a reflection on the events leading up to the death and resurrection Jesus Christ, (Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday).

The Ash Wednesday service is a time of reflection on our mortality. The ashes are imposed on the forehead of the participant with the words, remember, from ashes you have come and to ashes you will return. This is not a morbid reflection, but one that helps us value life. This reflection helps us appreciate that life is precious and hopefully full of love, meaning and purpose. All are welcome to these services for quiet reflection.


ASH WEDNESDAY Feb 14 – Ashes will be distributed on campus at the following times and locations:

8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. (Paresky Porch) Chaplains and local ministers will be distributing ashes outside (weather permitting)

12:30 p.m. Midday Ecumenical Service (Thompson Memorial Chapel)

5:00 p.m. Ash Wednesdays Vespers with Holy Eucharist. The Rev. Valerie Bailey Fischer will be the officiant.

8:30 p.m. Catholic Mass with Distribution of Ashes (Thompson Memorial Chapel).

By the way, Ash Wednesday is also Valentine’s Day – We usually do not do anything but we invite you as always to visit the Chaplains Office, 205 Paresky for tea or just to say hello.

If you have any questions, please contact Chaplain to the College and Protestant Chaplain, the Rev. Valerie Bailey Fischer, (vb7@williams.edu) or Catholic Chaplain Bridget Power (bep3@williams.edu).  

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