Meaning of Ash Wednesday today

Today marks Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, for western Christian churches. The traditional 40-day period of fasting, prayer and penitence before Easter.

Ash Wednesday received its name from the practice of placing ashes on a person's forehead as a sign of repentance. The ashes are blessed according to various rites proper to each liturgy, sometimes involving the use of Holy Water.

The 40 days of Lent have meaning as the time Jesus spent in the desert, where according to the Bible he endured temptation by Satan. Easter falls on April 12 this year.