Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, fasting, and reflection in many Christian denominations. It's a day of repentance, where believers often receive ashes on their foreheads, symbolizing mortality and the need for spiritual renewal. 

• Start of Lent:
  Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season, which precedes Easter and is a time for Christians to prepare for the celebration of Jesus Christ's resurrection. 

• Symbolism of Ashes:
  The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are typically made from burnt palm leaves from the previous year's Palm Sunday. They symbolize mortality, repentance, and the need to turn away from sin. 

• Observance:
  During Ash Wednesday services, a priest or minister will often make the sign of the cross on a person's forehead with ashes, while saying, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" or "Repent and believe in the Gospel."

• Fasting and Abstinence:
  Many Christians observe Ash Wednesday with fasting and abstinence from meat, as part of their Lenten practices.