Learn about Ash Wednesday & Lent for Kids, Traditional Catholic Faith Learning Fun Videos

Learn all about the origins of Ash Wednesday and Lent in this video created by kids for kids.Show more

Special thanks to Father David Jenuwine for helping us with the Latin pronunciation of:
"Remember (hu)man, that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Which in Latin is “Meménto, homo, quia pulvis es, et in púlverem revertéris."

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a 40-day period (not including Sundays) of fasting and penance in preparation for Easter.

Fasting is an act of giving up some or all food and drink for a certain period of time.
Penance is an act that a person takes to show regret and to earn forgiveness.

The 40 days remind us of the time Jesus spent in the desert praying and fasting to prepare for His mission. It’s a time when we should open our hearts even more to God and work on being more faithful to Christ.

The tradition of Ash Wednesday comes to the Church from the Jewish scripture. In the book of the prophet Jonah, a fast is proclaimed and the people put on sackcloth and ashes as a sign of their desire to repent.

The ashes we use today are made by burning the palms left over from last year's Palm Sunday celebration. Your Church likely has a collection basket so you can bring your palms from last year to be used for Ash Wednesday.

While the priest makes the sign of the cross with the ashes on your forehead he’ll say "Remember (hu)man, you are dust and unto dust you shall return," which comes from God’s response to Adam in the book of Genesis.

In Latin it is: Meménto, homo, quia pulvis es, et in púlverem revertéris

We make no response to these words; we simply return to our pews.

The ashes are placed on our foreheads to remind us that someday we will die and go home to Heaven.

The marking with a cross on the forehead is also a symbol of God's seal... in the Bible in Revelations the Angels were told: “Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we sign the servants of our God in their foreheads... And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree: but only the men who have NOT the sign of God on their foreheads.”

Here’s a few other interesting things to know about Ash Wednesday and Lent:
- Ash Wednesday occurs the day after Mardi Gras (also known as Fat Tuesday)
In the Middle Ages ashes were sprinkled on the head rather than drawn in a cross on the forehead.
- Many people keep the ashes on their forehead for the entire day. It is a sign that we are sinners and need God's forgiveness. It can also be a good opportunity to inform others about our Faith since someone might ask you what’s on your forehead.
- Ash Wednesday is actually NOT a Holy Day of OBLIGATION, but it certainly is a Holy Day of Opportunity and one you don’t want to miss!
- The Latin word for Lent is Quadragesima which means 40
- The period of 40 days is often used in the Bible.
- If you count the days on the Calendar from Ash Wednesday up to Easter Sunday it actually seems to last for 46 days...that’s because Sundays aren’t counted (And there are 6 of them). Sundays should always be a day of celebration and rejoicing.

In addition to fasting, we often give up something for Lent as an offer of sacrifice. And it’s usually something we enjoy like eating chocolate or playing video games. You may also choose to add in something, like going to Daily Mass more, spending more time in Adoration, praying the Rosary more often, and Corporal Works of Mercy like feeding the hungry or visiting the sick and elderly.

Trad Kids TV is recorded and edited almost entirely by 11 year old Rachel, with a tiny bit of help from mom, and a lot of grace from God. Deo Gratias!

Feel free to drop us an email with feedback and ideas for upcoming videos: TradKidsTV@gmail.com

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