On Ash Wednesday, you might encounter a Christian or a Catholic wearing a smudge of ashes on their forehead.
Maybe you are a practicing Christian and are fasting this Ash Wednesday, and you are wondering what you can and cannot eat on the first day of Lent.
Here is what you need to know about this first day of Lent in most Christian denominations and the rules of fasting.
What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday, in the Christian church, is the beginning of the Lenten season. It takes place six and a half weeks before Easter Sunday.
It is observed with a service where the faithful are marked with ashes. Many adults fast, or at least abstain from eating meat.
It is not a holy day of obligation, but it is one of the most attended services that do not fall on a Sunday during the liturgical year.
Catholics and some protestants, including Anglicans and Lutherans, also hold Ash Wednesday services.
Eastern Orthodox churches do not follow this schedule because they begin Lent on a Monday, and therefore do not observe Ash Wednesday.
Can Catholics eat meat or eggs on Ash Wednesday?
Catholics are not allowed to eat meat on Ash Wednesday. Most adults are expected to fast and eat only one full meal per day (two smaller meals can also count for this requirement).
Acceptable foods to eat on Ash Wednesday include milk, eggs, fish, grains, and fruits and vegetables, according to Forklift and Palate.
There are also no limits on most beverages you can have on Ash Wednesday, so coffee and tea would be acceptable.
Children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with certain health conditions are exempt from fasting on Ash Wednesday and during Lent.
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Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips.