Ash Wednesday is for Catholics the first day of Lent. The diocese of Dijon insists on “ecological conversion” on the occasion of the five years of the encyclical “Laudato Si ‘” of Pope Francis.
Press release from the diocese of Dijon on February 12, 2021:
Lent: sharing, prayer and fasting
Wednesday February 17, Ash Wednesday, is for Catholics the first day of Lent. This period, lasting 40 days, is experienced as a “way” towards Easter, the main feast of the Christian calendar, since it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus.
The Church invites Christians to three attitudes: prayer, to enter into a true relationship with God, fasting, which symbolizes freedom and finally sharing, which shows the need to live as brothers.
During this Lenten season, to support the process of Christians, many solidarity actions are proposed by the parishes of the diocese of Dijon and by Church organizations.
Adults ask for baptism
All year round, and especially during Lent, the Church accompanies adults who have asked to be baptized, called “catechumens”. They are ten this year in the diocese.
Lent is for the catechumens the time of their final preparation: from the decisive call, which will take place on the first Sunday of Lent (Sunday, February 21 at 11 a.m. in the Saint-Bernard church in Dijon), until the Easter vigil, April 3, the day before Easter, where they will be baptized.
Ash Masses in the Diocese
All the times of the Ash Masses celebrated on February 17 in the parishes of the diocese of Dijon can be found on this link.
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