[ventana]

I watched the Pope offering the Ash Wednesday Mass on EWTN. He and the co-celebrants sprinkled/crossed the top of the heads of those who came forward. That was interesting. Further, a Cardinal came up, removed the Pope's cap and did the same to him.

The congregation did not line up either. Instead, they sort of milled around at the front and the Priests reached out into the crowd while the Pope sat and did the same to a long line of Priests, Friars, and the like.

[Full Court]

ping to 233 for the first Scriptural mention of ashes tossed up.

[Titanites]

I watched the Pope offering the Ash Wednesday Mass on EWTN. He and the co-celebrants sprinkled/crossed the top of the heads of those who came forward.

Thank goodness we don't roll around in ash (see Jeremiah 6:26 below). What a mess that would make of the church!

Nehemiah 9:1 Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. 2 Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God [for one-fourth] of the day; and [for another] fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.

Esther 4:1 When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2 He went as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one [might] enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province where the king's command and decree arrived, [there was] great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

Job 16:15 "I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, And laid my head in the dust.

Job 42:6 Therefore I abhor [myself,] And repent in dust and ashes."

Jeremiah 6:26 O daughter of my people, Dress in sackcloth And roll about in ashes! Make mourning [as for] an only son, most bitter lamentation; For the plunderer will suddenly come upon us.

Daniel 9: 3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 "we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.

Matthew 11: 21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Luke 10:13 " Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.