Next: 10 Feb 2027
Ash Wednesday
The first day of Lent: the sign of ashes on the forehead and a call to fasting, prayer and giving.
When is Ash Wednesday in 2027?
Ash Wednesday 2027 is on Wednesday, 10 February 2027. Other years: 2026, Wednesday, 18 February 2026; 2028, Wednesday, 1 March 2028.
About Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday opens Lent, the forty days before Easter, in Western churches. At the service, the priest or minister marks a cross of ashes on the forehead of each worshipper, often made from the palm crosses of the year before, with words such as "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." Many people wear the ashes through the day. It is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat for Catholics, and a call to repentance and renewal. Across Lent, many give up a treat, take on a discipline of prayer or help the poor. Fish is eaten on Fridays, and in some communities, hearty soups are shared after the service.
Ash Wednesday dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Ash Wednesday date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday, 18 February 2026 |
| 2027 | Wednesday, 10 February 2027 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, 1 March 2028 |
What is eaten
- fish
- soup
- plain bread
Traditions of Ash Wednesday
Also part of it, and being written: Ashes (The sign made on the forehead.), Fasting and abstinence (The rules of the day.).
More marked on Ash Wednesday
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilRio CarnivalCarnaval do Rio de Janeiro
Five days of samba parades, costumes and street parties in Rio, ending at LentFestival
🇭🇹 Haiti and 1 moreRara
A Haitian street music of bamboo trumpets and drums, played in the Easter seasonPerformance
🇺🇸 New Orleans, United States and 5 moreMardi Gras
A festive day of parades and rich foods marking the final celebration before the Christian fasting season of Lent beginsFestival
🇮🇹 Venice, ItalyCarnival of VeniceCarnevale di Venezia
A historic festival in Italy famous for elaborate masks and anonymous social gatherings.Festival
🇭🇺 Mohács, HungaryBusójárás
A six-day winter carnival of carved wooden masks, folk music, and parades in MohácsFestival
🇨🇴 Barranquilla, ColombiaBarranquilla CarnivalCarnaval de Barranquilla
A four-day street festival of music, masquerade and dance in coastal ColombiaFestival
🇩🇪 Cologne, Germany and 3 moreRosenmontag
The peak of German carnival, celebrated with satirical street parades and sweetsFestival
🇩🇰 Copenhagen, Denmark and 5 moreFastelavn
A pre-Lenten carnival in Northern Europe where children dress up, sing for treats, and break candy-filled barrels.Festival · Sweets given and shared
🇧🇴 Oruro, BoliviaCarnival of OruroEl carnaval de Oruro
A Bolivian festival of masked pilgrimage dances honoring the Virgin of the MineshaftFestival
🇩🇪 Cologne, GermanyCologne CarnivalKölner Karneval
A street festival in Cologne with parades, masquerades and a ruling trioFestival
🇧🇪 Binche, BelgiumCarnival of BincheCarnaval de Binche
A Belgian pre-Lenten festival known for masked dancers and orange tossingFestival
🇲🇹 Valletta, MaltaMaltese Carnivalil-Karnival ta' Malta
A lively week of costumed parades, dancing, satirical floats and sweets across Malta.Festival · Sweets given and shared
🇲🇹 Nadur, MaltaNadur Carnival
An unscripted five-day costume festival filling the streets of Nadur before LentFestival
🇨🇭 Liestal, SwitzerlandChienbäse
A Swiss carnival night parade of blazing pinewood brooms and carts of fireFestival
🇩🇪 Cologne, Germany and 2 moreGerman CarnivalKarneval
Pre-Lenten street parades, costume balls and local revels across German-speaking lands.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇱🇹 LithuaniaUžgavėnės
A Lithuanian winter-ending festival of masks, mock battles and pancakesFestival
🇲🇽 Mazatlán, MexicoCarnival of MazatlánCarnaval de Mazatlán
An annual five-day festival of parades, fireworks, poetry and dance in coastal MexicoFestival
🇧🇪 Aalst, BelgiumAalst CarnivalAalst Carnaval
A three-day street carnival of satire, costumed parades and folk rituals in AalstFestival
🇹🇹 Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago Carnival
An annual festival of street parades, masquerade bands, steelpan music and danceFestival
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreAsh WednesdayDies Cinerum
A solemn Christian holy day of prayer, fasting, and the placing of ashesSpiritual · Fasting and breaking the fast
🇨🇭 Basel, SwitzerlandCarnival of BaselBasler Fasnacht
A 72-hour masked carnival of drums, flutes and satire in northern SwitzerlandFestival
🇩🇪 Aachen, Germany and 4 moreStraw bearStrohbär
A carnival figure wrapped in straw, paraded through German towns to mark the end of winter.Festival
🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreSwabian-Alemannic FastnachtFastnacht
A late-winter carnival of masks and jesters kept before Lent in the Alemannic landsFestival
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Ash Wednesday" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Busójárás: User:Themightyquill, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Barranquilla Carnival: el heraldo, Public domain, source
- Rosenmontag: Aymx, Public domain, source
- Fastelavn: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Carnival of Oruro: Pame82s, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Rio Carnival: Sergio Luiz, CC BY 2.0, source
- Chienbäse: Christof Berger, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cologne Carnival: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- German Carnival: Neva Micheva, CC BY 2.5, source
- Užgavėnės: Algirdas at Lithuanian Wikipedia, GFDL, source
- Carnival of Mazatlán: The New Foxy, CC0, source
- Lent: Manuela Paki-Costa, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Aalst Carnival: Wikisid, CC BY 3.0, source
- Nadur Carnival: Thyes, Public domain, source
- Rara: Lombinodr Alfonso Lomba, CC BY 3.0, source
- Trinidad and Tobago Carnival: Jean-Marc /Jo BeLo/Jhon-John, CC BY 2.0, source
- Carnival of Basel: Claude TRUONG-NGOC, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Carnival of Binche: Marie-Claire, CC BY 3.0, source
- Maltese Carnival: Ronny Siegel, CC BY 3.0, source
- Carnival of Venice: Roberto Vicario, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Straw bear: Photo: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
- Swabian-Alemannic Fastnacht: Photo: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
- Mardi Gras: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 4.0, source