Ash Wednesday is a solemn religious observance that marks the beginning of the season of Lent in Christianity. It is derived from a pagan tradition that predates the Christian era. The origin of Ash Wednesday can be traced back to ancient Roman and Celtic pagan customs. The Romans celebrated a festival called "Lupercalia" in mid-February, during which they would physically cleanse themselves by smearing the ashes of sacrificial animals on their foreheads. This act was believed to purify them and protect them from evil spirits. Similarly, the Celtic pagans celebrated the festival of Imbolc, also known as the "Feast of Torches," around the same time of year.
On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Roman Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are permitted to consume only one full meal, which may be supplemented by two smaller meals, which together should not equal the full meal. Some Roman Catholics will go beyond the minimum obligations demanded by the Church and undertake a complete fast or a bread and water fast. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are also days of abstinence from meat (for those Catholics age 14 and over), as are all Fridays in Lent. Some Roman Catholics continue fasting during the whole of Lent, as was the Church's traditional requirement, concluding only after the celebration of the Easter Vigil.
For example, in one common variation, a small card or piece of paper is distributed to the congregation on which a person is invited to write a sin she he wishes to confess. 1 They usually cite Matthew 6 16 18, where Jesus gave prescriptions for fasting And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting.
Similarly, the Celtic pagans celebrated the festival of Imbolc, also known as the "Feast of Torches," around the same time of year. During this festival, they would light bonfires and promenade through the streets with torches made of bundled reeds. It was believed that these torches had purifying and protective qualities.
Is Ash Wednesday a Pagan Holiday?
Many Christians are starting to question these “religious” holidays that they are having to pay for, which is the normal origin of their questioning. “Why am I paying for this holiday?” “Where did this holiday come from?” Sounds cynical, I’m sure, but that seems to be the order in which these, so called, Christians question whether something is actually biblical or not. Well, I am sorry to inform you but Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, Lent AND Easter are all satan worship. I’m sure some of you just spit out your coffee, but sadly it is true. Read to the end of this article and you’ll find the real origin of these. Also, if you’re at all NOT convinced, you have nothing more than to open your own bible and read.
People are going to churches all over the land and getting ashes placed on their foreheads and have no idea what it means, nor where it came from. Nowhere in the Bible does it say any Rabbi or priest put an ash cross on someone’s forehead. Go look it up. It is satanic in origin, as is Lent and Easter. Some people might mistake the message of Christianity in general with the Lent observance of “giving up something” with repentance. The two are not the same. And, if you’re a Christian only during Lent, then what does that say about you? Let’s get to the proof, shall we?
Pagan Origin
The forty days’ abstinence of Lent was directly borrowed from the worshippers of the Babylonian goddess. Such a Lent of forty days, “in the spring of the year,” is still observed by the Yezidis or Pagan Devil-worshippers of Koordistan, who have inherited it from their early masters, the Babylonians. Such a Lent of forty days was held in spring by the Pagan Mexicans, for thus we read in Humboldt, where he gives account of Mexican observances: “Three days after the vernal equinox…began a solemn fast of forty days in honour of the sun.” Such a Lent of forty days was observed in Egypt, as may be seen on consulting Wilkinson’s Egyptians. This Egyptian Lent of forty days, we are informed by Landseer, in his Sabean Researches, was held expressly in commemoration of Adonis or Osiris, the great mediatorial god. At the same time, the rape of Proserpine seems to have been commemorated, and in a similar manner; for Julius Firmicus informs us that, for “forty nights” the “wailing for Proserpine” continued; and from Arnobius we learn that the fast which the Pagans observed, called “Castus” or the “sacred” fast, was, by the Christians in his time, believed to have been primarily in imitation of the long fast of Ceres, when for many days she determinedly refused to eat on account of her “excess of sorrow,” that is, on account of the loss of her daughter Proserpine, when carried away by Pluto…
Among the Pagans this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz, which was celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing, and which, in many countries, was considerably later than the Christian festival, being observed in Palestine and Assyria in June, therefore called the “month of Tammuz”; in Egypt, about the middle of May, and in Britain, some time in April. To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skilful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity–now far sunk in idolatry–in this as in so many other things, to shake hands…
Let any one only read the atrocities that were commemorated during the “sacred fast” or Pagan Lent, as described by Arnobius and Clemens Alexandrinus, and surely he must blush for the Christianity of those who, with the full knowledge of all these abominations, “went down to Egypt for help” to stir up the languid devotion of the degenerate Church, and who could find no more excellent way to “revive” it, than by borrowing from so polluted a source; the absurdities and abominations connected with which the early Christian writers had held up to scorn. That Christians should ever think of introducing the Pagan abstinence of Lent was a sign of evil; it showed how low they had sunk, and it was also a cause of evil; it inevitably led to deeper degradation. Originally, even in Rome, Lent, with the preceding revelries of the Carnival, was entirely unknown; and even when fasting before the Christian Pasch was held to be necessary, it was by slow steps that, in this respect, it came to conform with the ritual of Paganism. What may have been the period of fasting in the Roman Church before sitting of the Nicene Council does not very clearly appear, but for a considerable period after that Council, we have distinct evidence that it did not exceed three weeks (Hislop A. Two Babylons. pp. 104-106).
Not all Christians celebrate Ash Wednesday, and some suggest that the practice is of pagan origin and is inconsistent with Scripture. [1] They usually cite Matthew 6:16–18, where Jesus gave prescriptions for fasting: "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (NRSV) These groups argue that Jesus warned against fasting to gain favor from other people and that he also warned his followers that they should fast in private, not letting others know they were fasting. For these reasons, some Christian denominations do not endorse the practice. Others, however, point out that this very passage from Matthew is the one, not coincidentally, that is appointed by the Revised Common Lectionary to be read on Ash Wednesday.
When Christianity emerged and began to spread, it often incorporated and adapted existing pagan customs into its own religious practices. In the case of Ash Wednesday, the early Christian Church saw an opportunity to give new meaning to the ancient traditions of purification and protection. The ashes used on Ash Wednesday come from the burnt palm branches that were blessed on the previous year's Palm Sunday. These ashes are mixed with holy water or oil and then applied to the foreheads of believers in the sign of the cross. The act of receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday is seen as a symbol of repentance, humility, and mortality. While the origins of Ash Wednesday may have pagan roots, its meaning and significance have evolved within the context of Christianity. It is now a time for believers to reflect on their own mortality, to repent for their sins, and to prepare themselves spiritually for the observance of Easter. The use of ashes as a visible sign serves as a reminder of the transient nature of life and the need for spiritual renewal. In conclusion, Ash Wednesday has pagan origins but has been integrated into Christian tradition as a time of repentance and preparation for Easter. It symbolizes the human condition of mortality and the desire for purification and renewal..
Reviews for "Delving into the Ancient Pagan Origins of Ash Wednesday"
1. John - 1/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Ash Wednesday Pagan Origins". The book made some outrageous claims without any credible evidence to support them. It seemed more like a work of fiction than a scholarly examination of the topic. The author's arguments were weak and lacked logical reasoning. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for accurate and well-researched information on the origins of Ash Wednesday.
2. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Ash Wednesday Pagan Origins" but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The book lacked depth and failed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the topic. The author seemed biased and cherry-picked evidence to support their preconceived notions. The writing style was also quite dry and repetitive, making it difficult to stay engaged with the content. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied with this book.
3. Michael - 1/5 stars - "Ash Wednesday Pagan Origins" was a complete waste of time. It was poorly researched and filled with baseless claims. The author seemed more interested in pushing their own agenda than providing accurate information. I found the book to be misleading and filled with inaccurate historical references. I would advise anyone looking for a thorough examination of Ash Wednesday's origins to look elsewhere.
4. Emily - 2/5 stars - I was hoping to learn more about the pagan origins of Ash Wednesday, but this book didn't provide the depth of information I was seeking. The author spent too much time speculating and not enough time presenting solid evidence or research. The book also lacked structure, making it hard to follow the author's arguments. Overall, I was left unsatisfied with the content and would not recommend this book to others looking for a comprehensive exploration of the topic.