Ash Wednesday in Latin
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The Blessing of the Ashes:
Omnipotens sempiterna Deus, parce poentientibus, propitare supplicantibus : et mittere digneris sanctum Angelum tuum de caelis, qui benedicat, et sanctificet hos cineras, ut sint remedium salubre omnibus nomen sanctum tuum humiliter implorantibus, ac semetipsos pro conscientia delictorum suorum accusantibus, ante conspectum divinae clementiae tuae facinora sua deplorantibus, vel serenissimam pietatem tuam suppliciter obnixeque flagitantibus : et praesta per invocationem sanctissimi nominis tui : ut quicumque per eos asperse fuerint, pro redemptione peccatorum suorum corporis sanitatem, et animae tutelam percipiant. Per Christum Dominium nostrum. Amen.
O almighty and eternal God, spare those who are penitent, be merciful to those who supplicate Thee; and vouchsafe to send Thy holy Angel from heaven, to bless and sanctify these ashes, that they may be a wholesome remedy to all who humbly implore Thy holy name, and accuse themselves as a result of the consciousness of their sins, deploring their crimes before Thy divine clemency, or humbly and earnestly beseeching Thy sovereign mercy : and grant through the invocation of Thy most holy name that all who may be sprinkled with them for the remission of their sins may receive health of body and safety of soul. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Another Blessing of the Ashes:
Deus, Qui non mortem, sed poenitentiam desideras peccatorum : fragilitatem conditionis humanae benignissime respece; et hos cineres, quos causa proferendae humilitatis, atque promerendae veniae, capitibus nostris imponi decernimus, benedicere pro tua pietate dignare : ut, qui nos cinerem esse, et ob pravitatis nostrae demeritum, in pulverem reversuros cognoscimus; peccatorum ommium veniam, et praemia poentientibus repromissa, misericorditer consequi mereamur. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
O God, who desirest not the death of sinners, but rather their repentance, look down most graciously upon the frailty of human nature, and in Thy goodness vouchsafe to bless these ashes which we intend to put upon our heads in token of humility and that we may obtain pardon; that we who know that we are dust, and for the penalty of our guilt must return unto dust, may deserve to obtain of Thy mercy the pardon of all sins, and the rewards promised to penitents. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer before giving the Sign of the Cross in the Ashes:
Deus, Qui humiliatione flecteris, et satisfactione placaris: aurem tuae pietatis inclina precibus nostris ; et capitibus servorum tuorum, horum cinerum aspersione contactis, effunde propitius gratiam tuae benedictionis : ut eos et spiritu compunctinis repleas, et quae juste postulaverint, efficaciter tribuas; et concessa perpetuo stabilita, et intacta manere decernas. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
O God, who are moved by humiliation, and appeased by satisfaction : incline the ear of Thy goodness to our prayers, and favourably pour forth upon the heads of Thy servants sprinkled with these ashes the grace of Thy blessing, that Thou mayest both fill them with the spirit of compunction, and effectually grant what they have justly prayed for : and ordain that what Thou hast granted may be permanently established and remain inviolate. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Another Prayer:
Omnipotens sempiterna Deus, qui Ninivitis in cinere et cilicio poentientibus, indulgentiae tuae remedia, praestitisti ; concede propitius ; ut sic eos imitemur habitu, quatenus veniae prospequajur obtentu. Per Dominum. Amen.
Almighty and eternal God, who didst grant the remedy of Thy pardon to the Ninivites doing penance in ashes and sackcloth, mercifully grant that we may so imitate them in our attitude that like them we may obtain forgiveness. Through our Lord. Amen.
Homily:
Ash Wednesday is from a liturgical point of view one of the most important days of the year. In the first place this day opens the liturgical season of Lent, which formerly began with the First Sunday and comprised only thirty-six days. The addition of Wednesday and the three following days brought the number to forty, which is that of Our Lord's fast in the desert.
In the Old Law ashes were generally a symbolic expression of grief, mourning, or repentance. In the Early Church the use of ashes had a like signification and with sackcloth formed part of the public penance. The blessing of the ashes is one of the great liturgical rites of the year. It was originally instituted for public penitents, but is now intended for all Christians, as Lent should be a time of penance for all. The ashes used this day are obtained by burning the palms of the previous year. Four ancient prayers are used in blessing them, and, having been sprinkled with holy water and incensed, the priest puts them on the foreheads of the faithful with the words: 'Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shall return.' The ancient prayers of the blessing suggest suitable thoughts for the opening of Lent. They are summarised here:
'Almighty and everlasting God, spare the penitent; ¦bless these ashes, that they may be a remedy to all who invoke Thy Name. O God, Who desirest not the death but the conversion of sinners, look kindly upon our human frailty and bless these ashes, so that we, who know ourselves to be but ashes and that we must return to dust, may deserve to obtain pardon and the rewards offered to the penitent.'
Before Mass ashes are blessed made from palms blessed in the previous year. The forms used in this blessing date from about the eighth century. After 'None' has been said, the priest, vested in alb and violet stole, with or without a violet cope, with deacon and subdeacon in vestments of the same colour, goes up to the altar and the choir begin by singing the Blessing of the Ashes.
