Ash Wednesday in Poland - the start of lent.

Polish Catholics are getting ready to attend Ash Wednesday masses at their parishes as the lent commences. In Poland, Ash Wednesday is a first day of a 40 day lent that finishes on the Easter Sunday. On Ash Wednesday Poles are not allowed to consume meat and drink alcohol. Those who are over the years of 14 and below 60 are restricted to 3 meals on that day. Every Catholic is oblidged to attend a mass on that day as it is a holiday of obligation.





A short video shows how Ash Wednesday looks like in Poland. Its quite different from the Catholic Church in Scotland. In Poland, the Ash is being situated on the top of the head whereas in Scotland the Ash is dispersed with Holy water and is applied to the forehead.

As well as fasting on Ash Wedensday, every friday of Lent and the Paschal Triduum, Polish Catholics are being encouraged by the Church to pray more, attend masses regularly, be more generous to the poor, and to give up something that they like e.g. chocolates, alcohol, smoking, etc. What I have realised from living in Scotland is that, although in Poland the Catholics are being encouraged to donate money to the poor majority are reluctant to do so ... whereas in Scotland the church is encouraging the Catholics to be more generous AND provides the "wee boxes', which I personally found really good. By giving up on chocolates and kebabs I am saving money which are going into the 'wee box'. In that way I can collect as much as 5 pounds in a week.

I would like to know your Lent 'good deeds' maybe I could learn borrow some new ones as the one I am doing are a bit obsolete in a way ... Please use the comment box below and fill me in with ur own good deeds.