All Saints North Shore Offers a Very Public Ash Wednesday Ritual

The Rev. Marya DeCarlen, priest at All Saints Episcopal Church of the North Shore, and Deacon and Curate, the Rev. David Prentice, spent 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. today, under winter skies and snow flurries -- on the corners of Holten and Cherry and Elm Streets -- offering the imposition of ashes to all who wished to participate in the ritual.

Ash Wednesday is named for the practice of imposing ashes -- made from blessed palm branches burned from the previous year’s Palm Sunday --on the foreheads of participants to the accompaniment of the words “ “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

And with that, the 40 days of Lent begin.

Visit us, pray with us, be one at peace with us. Our services are each Sunday, at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. with Holy Eucharist and Homily. You’ll be welcome here!