At Saint Paul Cathedral Parish Masses will be celebrated at Saint Paul Cathedral and our Saint Rosalia site. Ashes will be distributed during all Masses on Ash Wednesday: 8:15 am (Saint Paul Cathedral), 10:00 am (Saint Rosalia site), 12:05 pm (Saint Paul Cathedral), 6:00 pm (Saint Paul Cathedral with Bishop Zubik)
The USCCB Committee on Divine Worship sent a memo to all bishops regarding the Distribution of Ashes for Ash Wednesday. Given the pandemic and serious concerns for the health and safety of the faithful, ashes will be distributed in a different manner this year. We will not be receiving ashes on the forehead and no words will be spoken by the priest. Each person coming forward will be asked to simply bow their heads and ashes will be sprinkled on the crown of the head. In the United States, the practice is to impose ashes on the forehead. In Italy and at the Vatican, the practice is to sprinkle ashes on the crown of the head. A couple of notes to remember:
Sprinkling ashes on the head is biblical as it was a sign of penance.
“Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth upon their heads.” (Nehemiah 9:1)
“Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long tunic in which she was clothed. Then, putting her hands to her head, she went away crying loudly.” (2 Samuel 13:19)
In baptism we are washed clean from our original sin and anointed as priest, prophet, and king on the crown of the head. It is fitting that ashes, a reminder of our sin and baptism into death, be sprinkled on the crown of our heads because at Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, the conquering of sin and death, and baptism into life.
DIRECTIVE FROM THE VATICAN CONGREGRATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP NOTE ON ASH WEDNESDAY Distribution of Ashes in Time of Pandemic
The Priest says the prayer for blessing the ashes. He sprinkles the ashes with holy water, without saying anything. Then he addresses all those present and only once says the formula as it appears in the Roman Missal, applying it to all in general: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel”, or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”.
The Priest then cleanses his hands, puts on a face mask, and distributes the ashes to those who come to him or, if appropriate, he goes to those who are standing in their places. The Priest takes the ashes and sprinkles them on the head of each one without saying anything.
From the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 12 January 2021
Robert Card. Sarah Prefect
+Arthur Roche Archbishop Secretary