What Ash Wednesday is

The first day of Lent in Western Christianity, forty-six days before Easter, marked by the imposition of ashes on the forehead.

The ashes are traditionally made by burning the previous year’s Palm Sunday palms.

When it falls, and why the date moves

The countdown at the top of this page is live, and the date beneath it is the next occurrence. The date is counted from Easter Sunday, which is itself the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the March equinox. Easter can fall anywhere between 22 March and 25 April, and everything anchored to it moves with it.

It is grouped here under Christian, alongside the other observances that share its calendar.

What is coming up next

Once this date passes, the countdown moves on according to the recurrence rule described above. Calculated lunar dates remain estimates until the relevant calendar or local authority confirms them. See the full list of upcoming events, or use the countdown timer for a duration of your own.