Lent begins: Ash Wednesday

In many churches, Ash Wednesday is used to mark the first day of Lent, which is a 40-day period of prayer, penance and fasting that leads up to Easter.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)— Today is Ash Wednesday.

In many churches, Ash Wednesday is used to mark the first day of Lent, which is a 40-day period of prayer, penance and fasting that leads up to Easter.

On Ash Wednesday, Christians get marked with ashes in the shape of a cross on their foreheads.

The ashes come from burning palm branches that are left over from the past year’s Palm Sunday.

During Lent Christians give up something like television or alcohol as a modern form of fasting as well as abstain from eating meat on Fridays.

A few churches in the Midlands area are holding services well into the night. For a list of times near you head to www.masstimes.org.