Ash Wednesday is a Christian holy day of repentance, prayer, and fasting, observed by many believers worldwide. While it has deep roots in Christian tradition, there are some who argue that its origins can be traced back to pagan practices. Before the arrival of Christianity, ancient pagan civilizations had their own rituals and ceremonies, often centered around the changing seasons and the cycle of life. In particular, the ancient Romans had a festival called "Lupercalia" which was celebrated in mid-February. During Lupercalia, young men called "Luperci" would run through the streets wearing loincloths and carrying goatskin whips. They would strike women in a symbolic gesture believed to offer fertility and cleanse them for the upcoming year.
They would strike women in a symbolic gesture believed to offer fertility and cleanse them for the upcoming year. This practice had connections to purification and was believed to ward off evil spirits. It is argued by some that these pagan practices influenced the later observance of Ash Wednesday.
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).
Lent is the “fortieth” day before Easter and is observed in many Christian denominations. This is the six and one half week period that lasts from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. During Lent Christians fast and refrain from various pleasures. This is said to be for the purpose of preparing to commemorate the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ.
When Christianity spread across the Roman Empire, the Church sought to incorporate and transform existing pagan rituals into Christian traditions. This was done as a way to ease the transition for the newly converted and ensure the continuity of religious practices within the community. It is believed that during the 6th century, Pope Gregory I adopted and adapted certain aspects of Lupercalia and other pagan customs and integrated them into the Christian liturgical calendar. This included the practice of using ashes as a symbol of repentance and mortality. In the early Christian church, individuals who had committed serious sins were publicly called out and and expelled from the church community until they had undergone a period of deep repentance and reconciliation known as the "Order of Penitents." As part of this process, these individuals would wear sackcloth and apply ashes to their foreheads as a sign of their penitence. Over time, this practice evolved to become a more general observance on Ash Wednesday, where all believers, not just those in the Order of Penitents, would come forward to receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. The ashes are typically made from the burning of the previous year's palm branches used in Palm Sunday, symbolizing the impermanence of earthly glory. While there may be some connections to pagan origins, it is important to note that the Christian observance of Ash Wednesday has its own distinct meaning and significance within the context of the Christian faith. It marks the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent, a period of forty days of fasting, prayer, and reflection in preparation for Easter. It serves as a powerful reminder of human mortality and the need for repentance and renewal. Overall, while the origins of Ash Wednesday may have some ties to pagan customs, the practice has been transformed and imbued with Christian meaning and symbolism over the centuries. It is now widely recognized as an integral part of the liturgical calendar for many Christians around the world..
Reviews for "Investigating the Pagan Customs Behind Ash Wednesday"
1. John - 1 star
I found "Ash Wednesday Pagan Origin" to be a completely misleading documentary. The title suggests that it would provide insights into the pagan origins of Ash Wednesday, but all it did was give a biased and unsubstantiated view of the holiday. The documentary lacked proper research and historical evidence to support its claims, making it nothing more than a conspiracy theory. I found it highly frustrating and a waste of my time.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
I was initially excited to watch "Ash Wednesday Pagan Origin" as I have a keen interest in ancient cultures and their influences on modern traditions. However, I was sorely disappointed by this documentary. The information presented was confusing and lacked coherency. It failed to provide a thorough examination of the pagan origins of Ash Wednesday and instead focused on random ancient rituals that may or may not be connected. The lack of factual evidence and clarity made it difficult for me to take the documentary seriously.
3. Michael - 1 star
I couldn't believe how poorly researched and sensationalistic "Ash Wednesday Pagan Origin" turned out to be. The documentary was filled with baseless claims and wild speculations without any proper historical evidence to back them up. It felt more like a tabloid piece than a serious investigation into the pagan origins of Ash Wednesday. I was truly disappointed by the lack of credibility and scholarly approach in this film. Definitely not worth your time if you're seeking accurate information.
4. Emily - 2 stars
As someone who enjoys learning about the cultural and historical origins of holidays, I was looking forward to watching "Ash Wednesday Pagan Origin." Unfortunately, the documentary fell short of my expectations. The presentation felt rushed and lacked cohesive structure. The host made bold claims without providing any substantial evidence or references to back them up. The documentary missed the opportunity to explore the depth and significance of pagan traditions in relation to Ash Wednesday, leaving me with more questions than answers.