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Sacred ashes

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A deacon burning palm fronds from the previous Palm Sunday for Ash Wednesday

Sacred ashes are put to use in various religions.

Background

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In Christianity, on Ash Wednesday, ashes of burnt palm leaves and fronds left over from Palm Sunday, mixed with olive oil, are applied in a cross-form on the forehead of the believer as a reminder of his inevitable physical death, with the intonation: "Dust thou art, and to dust will return" from Genesis 3:19 in the Old Testament.[1]

In Hinduism, sacred ashes or Vibhuti are used to smear, anoint or mark devotees.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Adams, Dwight (22 March 2022). "Why Christians wear ashes for Ash Wednesday and give up their favorite things for Lent". El Paso Times.
  2. ^ Venkataramanan, Geetha (28 February 2019). "Making ash - the fire is lit on Sivaratri". The Hindu.