New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-02-14
BEGINNING OF lent,
SEASON OF PENANCE
Special Services Held in EplscO'
pal and Catholic Churches

To-day, Ash Wednesday, the begin
ming OF the Lenten period was Oh
served in the Catholic and Episcopal
churches OF New Britain with sPeoia
services Al ST. Marks Episcopal
church holy communion was eeiehFat'
ed at o'clock this morning and lit
any, peniteRiial office and holy COM
muniOn az 1850 o'clock The evening
prayer and sermon by the rector will
be held AZ the church this evening At
7lt5 o'clock,
Masses were held this morning al
: and S o'clock both a. 81, loseph's
and 81, Mary's church, Special serN'
ices will be held in both churches
this evening at 1870 o'clock and every
"Wednesday ana Friday evening dur
ing Lent,
I.enten services will be observed in
many Protestant churches beginning
on SUNDAY. Rev, DR. George W. g.
Hill will begin a series Of Lenifn ser-
mons starting on Sunday AZ the South
Congregational church.
Religiously considered. Ash We'd
nesday takes its name from the cere-
monial use OF ashes as symbol or
penitence. which is traced back 10 the
penance OF saekcloth and ashes spok-
on of by the Old Testament prophets.
Prior 10 the reformation, all Chris
tian believers conformed 10 this an
cient ceremonial. It's Use has been
abandoned In later days by the re-
formed churches, and is now retain
cd by the communicates OF the
Church OF Rome alone in whose places
of worship ashes obtained from the
burning OF palms blessed on Palm
Sunday of the year previous are thrice
sprinked with holy water and censed.
Thereafter the officiating priests make
the sign of the cross upon the fore
head of communicates with the
thumb dipped in consecrated ashes.
intoning the words: Remember, man.
that thou art dust. and unto dust thou
shalt return This custom dates
back at least to the early days of the
eighth century.
Among the reformed churches, the
Church of England marks the day
by combination service, parts OF
which are taken from the Benedictus
Cinerum in the old Sarum Manual,
and a distinctive element of which is
the reading of Gods condemnation of
impenitent sinners from the book OF
Deuteronomy. The prayer book of
the Episcopal church provides spe-
cial penitentia office for Ash We'd |
nesday which includes the more an
cient part of the combination service. !,
It is an impressive service of peni- !
tent confession and supplication, and |
is said kneeing.
In the Anglican and Lutheran
communions as well as in the Roman !
Catholic however the Lenten fast is
still maintained: and though through
the year the period of fasting has ire
auently varied, by common acceptance
among all Christian communions the
40 day period is now observed; and !
rot without reason since forty is a |
scriptural number. For 40 years. for
Illustration, the children of Israel
were under discipline in the wilder
ness. Moses tasted 40 days in the
mount. Elijah was 40 days in the
For 40 days, Christ fast
ed before entering upon his public
Beginning with ASH wed
nesday the Lenten season really COW
ers a period of As days, but as Sun
day has always been regarded as a
feast. these six Sundays are not count
ed as belonging to the fast.
The word Lent is derived from the
old Ango-Saxon word Lencten, mean
ing spring, and, as the fast falls in
the early part of the year, by COM
mon usage Lent is now generally as
ISOLATED with the beginning of spring
which comes to full flower with the
Easter festival of the resurrection and
the reawakening of life. The first
of Lent is found in canon
of the council of Nicea, 925 A. D., and
in the Christian church is known as
the period of fasting preparatory to
this Easter festival.
As with all these ancient festivals
many quaint and curious customs at
taching to Lent have been handed
Town through the ages. In medieval