Area religious communities are celebrating Ash Wednesday today to begin the Lenten season.
The day is named after the ashes were ceremonially placed on the forehead as a sign of mourning and repentance. Ash Wednesday is celebrated mostly by Christians and occurs 46 days before Easter, which this year falls on April 17.
The following is a partial list of locally available Ash Wednesday services.
Any church that wishes to include its services in Globe-News' weekly faith calendar may email that information to kwood@lubbockonline.com or lstaebner@lubbockonline.com.
Amarillo
• Polk Street United Methodist Church will host a pancake and sausage dinner by United Methodist Men in the Great Hall before Ash Wednesday services. Dinner will be from 5-6 pm. Beginning at 6:30 pm with Ash Wednesday services.
• Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church: 7 pm. Mass on Ash Wednesday
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo Ashe Wednesday Mass Services:
Amarillo
• St. Mary's Cathedral: 7 a.m., 8:15 a.m. (school mass), 12:10 p.m. and at 7 pm; Wednesday, March 9, Day of Reconciliation from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Blessed Sacrament: Mass at 7 a.m. (English); Word worship and distribution of ashes at noon (English); Crowd at 6 pm (bilingual) and 8 pm. (the Spanish)
• Capuchin Monastery: Mass at 5:30 pm. (Spanish; seating is limited. If you plan to attend please call the convent at (806) 383-6771.)
• Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mass at noon and 5 p.m. (English) and 7 pm. (the Spanish)
• Our Lady of Vietnam: 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• St. Hyacinth: Masses at 8:15 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. (English); and 7 pm (Bilingual)
• St. Francis of Assisi: Word and ashes distribution at 8 a.m.; Mass at 7 pm
• St. Joseph: 8:15 a.m. (School Mass for St. Joseph's School), 11:30 p.m. (School Mass for Holy Cross Catholic Academy), 6 p.m. (English) and 7:30 pm. (the Spanish)
• St. Lawrence: Mass at 8 a.m. (English); Mass at 9 a.m. (Spanish); Word worship and distribution of ashes in the afternoon (English); Mass at 5 pm (English); Mass at 6:15 pm. (the Spanish); Worship of the word and distribution of ashes at 8 pm. (the Spanish)
• St. Martin de Porres: Mass at noon and 7 p.m.
• St. Thomas the Apostle: Public at 7 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 7 pm
CANYON
• St. Anne's: Mass at 7 a.m.; Worship of the word and distribution of ashes at 12:10 pm; Mass at 6 pm
• Catholic Student Center at West Texas A&M: Mass at 6:30 p.m.