Ash Wednesday marks the first day of the 40 days of Lent. A period dedicated to prayer, fasting (giving up certain luxuries and various foods), and almsgiving in preparation for Easter.
The marking of foreheads with ashes in the shape of a cross is a visible Christian ritual, but just one component of the holy day. Ashes serve as a reminder of humans’ sinfulness and the need for penance.
Ash Wednesday Facts Trivia Questions and Answers
In Iceland, Ash Wednesday resembles Halloween celebrations. Öskudagur, which is the country’s first day of lent is observed by kids dressing up in costumes and touring their neighborhoods singing songs in exchange for candy.
Did you know that you can receive ashes without going to church? Neither do you need to be a church leader to administer ashes. The catholic church has an option where parishioners can take packets of ashes home with them to apply to the foreheads of loved ones.
Quiz yourself with our amazing list of Ash Wednesday trivia! See below!
1. What is Ash Wednesday?
2. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday in both the Eastern and Western Church.
3. Is Ash Wednesday a holy day of obligation?
4. On Ash Wednesday, a priest or minister traditionally marks worshippers with ash in the shape of what?
5. True or False: Easter affects the day Ash Wednesday lands on.
6. When the minister or priest marks worshippers with ashes, which of these verses is commonly recited?
7. The ashes on the forehead represent?
8. Where do churches typically get the ashes that are used to mark worshippers’ foreheads on Ash Wednesday?
9. Can you eat meat on Ash Wednesday?
10. In the Roman Catholic church, the Ash Wednesday ashes are a sacrament.
11. Psalm 51 is frequently used in the liturgies of Christian churches on Ash Wednesday. Which of these is a line from Psalm 51?
12. Ash Wednesday is most closely related to which celebration?
13. For many Christians, Ash Wednesday is a time of fasting. What did Christ say to do while fasting?
14. Ash Wednesday falls on a different day every year; it is affected by the date of?
15. Observers of Ash Wednesday are most likely to?
16. Which Christian denomination is more likely to observe Ash Wednesday?
17. What is the earliest date Ash Wednesday can possibly occur?
18. What phrase is most commonly associated with Ash Wednesday?
19. What is the Latin term for Ash Wednesday?
20. The ashes consist of burned palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday service.
21. What is the original meaning of Lent?
22. The ash mark is put on the forehead because it symbolizes
23. Which is the last Sunday of Lent?
24. The ash on Ash Wednesday is a biblical symbol of mourning and repentance. What is the other symbol that doesn’t agree with the bible?
25. Lent is said to be of 40 days, even though from Ash Wednesday to the last Saturday of the season it is 46 days. Why?
26. What else than Ash Wednesday has the ritual of putting a Cross on the forehead?
27. Which feast day always comes during Lent?
28. Do you think Christ got ashed on Ash Wednesday? Why?
29. On which day is Chrism Mass?
30. Receiving ashes on the head was made popular in 1091 at?
31. What is special about Good Friday?
32. Which devotion has a special place during Lent?
33. What is eaten traditionally in the UK the day before Ash Wednesday?
34. When was the first Ash Wednesday celebrated?
35. How many days are counted into lent?
36. Does the service have to be performed in a church?
37. What color is associated with the lent season?
38. The main reason Christians give up coffee, Facebook, or chocolate during lent is:
39. Holy Thursday commemorates?
40. On Palm Sunday, Jesus drove on?
41. What word is not supposed to be sung or said during lent?
42. The Wednesday before Easter is called Holy Wednesday, but it is sometimes called?
43. When does the church ask us to fast?
44. What does the fasting that occurs on the two specific days entail (number and portion of the meals)?
45. What is the first day in the Christian season of Lent?
46. What is the first day in the Christian season of Lent?
47. Ashes are worn as a symbol of?
48. What is proclaimed when the ashes are distributed?
49. Ash Wednesday Christians focus on 3 main practices, which are?
50. Why do we participate in Almsgiving?
51. Why do we pray?
52. The Lenten road of reflection, prayer, penance, and sacrifice ultimately leads to?
53. What ages practice abstaining from certain foods?
54. What ages practice fasting from food on certain days?