Ash Wednesday 2026 has officially marked the beginning of Lent for millions of Christians worldwide. The holy day is observed with prayers, repentance, and fasting. It is celebrated among Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican, Methodist, Nazarene, Lutheran, and Moravian Christians six and a half weeks before Easter. This year, the 40-day Lenten season began on Ash Wednesday, which falls on February 18.
It is observed as a public holiday in some parts of the world, including French Guiana, the Cayman Islands, Brazil, Jamaica, and Cape Verde. In these regions and other countries, Christians attend church services. A cross marked on their forehead with ashes as a reminder of spiritual renewal and repentance.
Here are a few messages, greetings, wishes, and quotes to share with loved ones on Ash Wednesday 2026.
Messages
My dear child, may the ashes on your forehead always serve as a reminder to you of God’s infinite love and mercy.
Happy Ash Wednesday ! Wishing you a day filled with grace and reflection.
Let this Ash Wednesday mark the journey from sin to faith, from darkness to light.
Embrace the sacred silence of Ash Wednesday and allow your soul to find rest.
Ash Wednesday reminds us to slow down, reflect and live with compassion.
Greetings
Best wishes to all my dear ones on Ash Wednesday. This day serves as a reminder to us to repent and seek forgiveness for our sins.
On this Ash Wednesday, let us surrender our deepest worries and fears to God. Warm greetings to you on this holy day.
As the Lent season begins, may Ash Wednesday bring introspection, renewal, and lasting blessings into your life.
Prayer on Ash Wednesday helps draw our hearts closer to God’s loving grace.
As we receive the ashes on our foreheads, may we not forget our reliance on God and our need to turn away from sin. Wishing you a spiritually enriching Ash Wednesday.
Wishes
Let this Ash Wednesday be a fresh start filled with love, compassion and forgiveness.
May your prayers be heard and your heart be filled with faith this Ash Wednesday.
Wishing you a meaningful Lent filled with hope, love and spiritual strength.
May this Ash Wednesday bring peace to your heart and guide you towards a path of faith and reflection.
As we enter the season of Lent, may prayer fortify you, fasting motivate you, and charity guide you. Wishing you a blessed Ash Wednesday.
Quotes
Let us acknowledge what we are: dust loved by God. We are dust loved by God. And thanks to him, we will be reborn from the ashes of sin to new life in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit – Pope Francis.
The cross means there is no shipwreck without hope; there is no dark without dawn; nor storm without haven – Pope St. John Paul II.
There are three elements that are almost always part of Lent: prayer, giving something up, and giving something back – Elizabeth Hyndman.
We must trust in the mighty power of God’s mercy. We are all sinners, but His grace transforms us and makes us new — Pope Benedict XVI.
The less we have, the more we give. Seems absurd, but it’s the logic of love — Mother Teresa.
