Ash Wednesday Mark ? A Seal of the Cross, Or a Mark you Shouldn't Take ? ? ?

[Solus Christus]

43 minutes ago, Anne2 said:

I think it might be connected to the fast of the firstborn. From what I read, the early Church had some fasting one, two or three days only. 

Intriguing. Does the fast of the first born have ashes as well? 

[Anne2]

1 hour ago, Solus Christus said:

Intriguing. Does the fast of the first born have ashes as well? 

Oh I do not know. I have just read this stuff looking into where lent came from itself. As well as the Quartodeciman controversy. They disputed when to end the fast. So we know the fasting aspect was very early on with the pro- Judaen end of the Church. I don't know how far back the ashes go. I don't think the eastern Orthodox does that, but maybe they do. If they don't, it is a western thing.

Edited July 27, 2023 by Anne2

[Solus Christus]

58 minutes ago, Anne2 said:

Oh I do not know. I have just read this stuff looking into where lent came from itself. As well as the Quartodeciman controversy. They disputed when to end the fast. So we know the fasting aspect was very early on with the pro- Judaen end of the Church. I don't know how far back the ashes go. I don't think the eastern Orthodox does that, but maybe they do. If they don't, it is a western thing.

You are correct, The Eastern Orthodox do not observe Ash Wednesday, nor as far as I can see use ashes. Seems to be a Western thing indeed.