ash wednesday 2026: Lent begins Feb. 18 — what to know about dates, fasting and observances
This year Ash Wednesday falls on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, marking the start of the 40-day Lenten season of fasting, reflection and preparation for Easter. The day and the weeks that follow will shape worship schedules and personal spiritual practices for millions of Christians worldwide.
What Ash Wednesday signifies and how it is observed
Ash Wednesday opens a penitential period that recalls Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness and invites believers to practices of repentance, prayer and self-discipline. Many worship services center on the imposition of ashes—often smudged in the shape of a cross on the forehead—with words reminding recipients of human mortality and the call to spiritual renewal.
For Roman Catholics aged 18 to 59, Ash Wednesday is an obligatory fast day: typically one full meal and two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal. Many Catholics also abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and on Fridays during Lent. Historic Protestant traditions, including Episcopal and Lutheran congregations, commonly mark the day with similar liturgies. Other denominations vary in practice: some observe the day and the season, others maintain different forms of fasting or spiritual preparation at other times of the year.
Contemporary adaptations have expanded access to the ritual. Clergy frequently offer "Ashes to Go" outside of traditional services—in parking lots, transit hubs and airport chapels—so busy commuters and travelers can participate without attending a full liturgy. Churches also schedule additional devotions during Lent, such as Stations of the Cross, group meditations and communal acts of charity.
Key dates for the 2026 Lenten season and Easter
The liturgical calendar for 2026 places Ash Wednesday on Feb. 18. For many Western Christians, the Lenten period runs from that date through Thursday, April 2, 2026, concluding just before the Triduum and Easter. Good Friday falls on April 3, 2026, with Easter Sunday observed on April 5, 2026.
Different traditions calculate the season's boundaries in distinct ways. Some communities conclude their Lenten observance on Holy Saturday, while others end at sundown on Maundy Thursday. Eastern Orthodox Christians observe Great Lent on a slightly different schedule this year, beginning Feb. 23 and running through Saturday, April 11, with Orthodox Easter observed on April 12, 2026.
Seasonal markers in the broader calendar fall nearby: the vernal equinox occurs Friday, March 20, 2026, at 10: 46 a. m. ET, which factors into the traditional method for determining Easter Sunday on the Gregorian calendar.
What people give up and spiritual practices to consider
Lenten disciplines vary widely. Many people adopt a practice of giving something up—commonly food, sweets or alcohol—but modern observance often focuses on reducing screen time, increasing charitable acts or taking on a new spiritual habit such as daily prayer or scripture reading. Fasting and abstinence remain central for some, while communal worship and extra devotional gatherings shape the season for others.
Clergy and lay leaders routinely encourage framing Lenten commitments not merely as loss but as intentional moves toward generosity, service and spiritual growth. Whatever form it takes, the season aims to prepare communities and individuals for Holy Week and the celebration of resurrection on Easter.
For those planning ahead, note the movable nature of these observances: dates shift each year, and local congregations will publish specific service times and practices as the season approaches.
