Today is Ash Wednesday, the day that for Christians marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting in preparation for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.
According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this 40-day period.
Christian churches have different traditions for Ash Wednesday and Lent, but most have special services scheduled today in observance of the beginning of the Lenten season. Many churches distribute ashes to their congregants, marking their foreheads with the ashes as a sign of mourning and repentance.
Local Ash Wednesday services:
St. Isidore R.C. Church, 622 Pulaski St., Riverhead
Ashes will be distributed at an English Mass at 7 a.m, a Polish Mass at 7 p.m. and at prayer services at 12:30, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.
St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church, 546 St. John's Place, Riverhead
Ashes will be distributed at Masses at 7:15 and 9 a.m., 12 noon, 6:30 p.m. and (Spanish Mass) 7:30 p.m.
St. John the Baptist R.C. Church, 1488 North Country Road, Wading River
Ashes will be distributed at morning Mass, 8:30 a.m.; prayer service, 12 noon; family prayer service, 4:30 p.m.; evening Mass, 7:30 p.m.
United Church of Christ parishes (Baiting Hollow Congregational Church, Old Steeple Church, First Parish Church and First Congregational Church of Riverhead) combined Ash Wednesday service at Baiting Hollow Church, 7 p.m.