When is Ash Wednesday 2026? What to know about the start of Lent

Ash Wednesday will be observed on Feb. 18, 2026 (ET), marking the formal start of Lent, the 40-day season of prayer, fasting and spiritual preparation that leads into Easter. The season runs for 40 days not counting Sundays and, for many churches, concludes on Thursday, April 2, 2026 (ET), with the Easter Triduum beginning that evening.

Dates, counting and the calendar mechanics

The date of Ash Wednesday moves each year because it is tied to the date of Easter. In 2026, Ash Wednesday lands on Feb. 18 (ET), a point 6½ weeks before Easter Sunday. Traditional observance counts 40 days of penitential practice without counting Sundays, which are liturgical 'mini‑Easters' and are excluded from the fast. That approach places the conclusion of Lent on Holy Thursday—Thursday, April 2, 2026 (ET)—when many parishes shift into the observance of the Triduum that culminates in Easter weekend.

Some communities and faithful mark the end of Lenten practice differently; others extend penitential observance through Holy Saturday. Practices can vary by denomination and by local custom.

What Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent mean

Lent is a penitential season intended as a time of spiritual renewal and preparation for the commemoration of Christ’s death and resurrection. It is traditionally observed by Catholics and by many Protestant denominations, including Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican churches. Eastern Orthodox Christians observe Great Lent as well, but their calendar places its start on Clean Monday rather than Ash Wednesday, and the ash ritual is not part of their tradition.

The outward sign most commonly associated with Ash Wednesday is the cross of ashes marked on the forehead. The ashes are typically made from the burned palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday and serve as a symbol of mortality, repentance and the call to conversion. The practice of using ashes has roots in ancient penitential rites and became widespread in the medieval church.

Mass attendance for Ash Wednesday is often very high. Studies tracking worship patterns in recent years show the day routinely competes with Christmas and Easter for highest attendance; some years even see Ash Wednesday crowds surpass those at Christmas. For many worshippers the ritual imprint of ashes is a public marker of faith and a tangible invitation to reflection.

Fasting, abstinence and customs to expect

Within the Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of both fasting and abstinence. Adults between 18 and 59 are expected to fast—taking only one full meal and two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal—and to abstain from meat. Other Christian traditions have their own rules and emphases; some encourage personal disciplines such as giving up particular pleasures, increasing prayer, or performing acts of charity and service.

The day before Ash Wednesday is widely known by several names: Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras. It evolved as a last occasion to use up rich foods such as fats, eggs and sugar before the Lenten fast. Shrove comes from the old practice of seeking shrift, or confession, before the season of penance.

For those planning to attend an Ash Wednesday service, many parishes offer multiple liturgies throughout the day and evening to accommodate larger-than-usual attendance. While receiving ashes is a longstanding ritual in many churches, the gesture is meant to be an outward sign of an inward commitment to repentance and spiritual renewal.

Whether treated as a communal renewal or a personal discipline, Ash Wednesday and the weeks of Lent invite participants to pause, reflect on mortality and sin, and prepare spiritually for Easter.