Ash Wednesday 2023: Catholic Diocese of Cleveland marks the beginning of Lent in Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND — Now that we’re all stuffed from the Fat Tuesday celebration, Ash Wednesday has arrived.

The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland says the distribution of ashes will take place with Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist with services scheduled downtown at the following times:

“Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence,” according to the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. “Catholics ages 14-59 — unless excused due to illness, chronic disease, pregnant or nursing women — are obligated to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (April 7). When fasting, a person can eat one full meal as well as two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal. Also, Catholics who are 14 and older are obligated to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent.”

3News streamed the 7:15 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, which can be viewed below: 

For those not in the downtown Cleveland area, the Catholic Diocese has posted an expanded list for Ash Wednesday so you can find the parish closest to you HERE.

“Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, so named because of the Church’s tradition of marking the foreheads of each member of the faith community with consecrated ashes on that day,” the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland explains. “Catholics receive ashes as a tangible reminder that Lent is a time for prayer, fasting and charitable works (almsgiving) in preparation for Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Easter arrives this year on Sunday, April 9.

Editor’s note: Video in the player above was originally published in a previous story for Fat Tuesday on Feb. 21, 2023.