Ash Wednesday: What are ashes placed on foreheads made of?

It’s been a yearly tradition for Roman Catholics to flock to churches every Ash Wednesday. But have you ever wondered what the ashes placed on foreheads are made of?

According to #KuyaKimAnoNa on Wednesday’s “24 Oras,” the ashes are from the palaspas from Palm Sunday the previous year.

Church staff members collect these dried palm leaves and pray over these before setting the leaves on fire.

“Pagkatapos palamigin ’yan, sasalain ’yan para mas makuha natin yung pinakapino na ash,” said Rev. Fr. Jerome Secillano of Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Parish in Manila.

[After it cools down, it gets filtered so we can get the finest ashes.]

Meanwhile, the cross put on foreheads symbolizes the death of Jesus Christ and repentance. It comes from a Bible verse which reads: “From dust and unto dust you shall return.”

Kuya Kim said it was believed that Ash Wednesday started in the 11th century. It began when the practice of throwing ash on sinners who wore sackcloth during Lent was put to an end.

Earlier Wednesday, Filipinos from all over the Philippines flocked to churches to observe Ash Wednesday after some COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. – Franchesca Viernes/RC, GMA News