On Ash Wednesday, the priest typically says one of two key phrases while applying ashes to a person's forehead in the shape of a cross.

This ritual marks the start of Lent, a 40-day season of penance and reflection leading to Easter. The ashes, made from burned palm branches of the previous year's Palm Sunday, symbolize mortality and repentance—"dust you are, and to dust you shall return" from Genesis.

Main Phrases Spoken

The Roman Catholic rite offers two approved formulas, chosen based on local tradition or preference:

  • "Repent, and believe in the Gospel." (Direct call to conversion, from Mark 1:15.)
  • "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (Echoes Genesis 3:19, emphasizing human frailty.)

These words are said quietly as the priest or deacon dips a thumb in ashes and marks each forehead. The first is more common in some U.S. dioceses since 2012 changes, while the second prevails elsewhere.

Liturgy Context

Before distribution, there's a blessing of the ashes. The priest prays: "Dear brothers and sisters, let us humbly ask God our Father that he be pleased to bless with the abundance of his grace these ashes, which we will put on our heads in penitence." A prayer follows, invoking God's mercy.

The rite includes Psalm 51 responsorial: "Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned." Mass or a Liturgy of the Word continues afterward.

Phrase| Biblical Root| Emphasis
---|---|---
"Repent, and believe in the Gospel"| Mark 1:15| Action & faith 2
"Remember you are dust, to dust you shall return"| Genesis 3:19| Mortality & humility 5

Variations Across Traditions

  • Catholic : Sticks to these two; ashes mandatory for fasting/abstinence start.
  • Anglican/Episcopal : Often the same, or "Turn from sin and live for righteousness."
  • Lutheran : Similar, like "From dust you came, to dust you shall return."
    Eastern rites may use different forms, but the cross-ash sign unites them. No major 2026 updates noted in recent sources.

TL;DR: Priest says "Repent and believe in the Gospel" or "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return" while marking foreheads.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.