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ASH WEDNESDAY
THE BLESSING AND IMPOSITION OF ASHES
The ceremony normally takes place before the Eucharist.
Ashes made from the Palms of the previous Palm Sunday are placed in a suitable receptacle at t he Epistle side of the Altar, or on a table in the Chancel so that the priest faces the people.
1 Blessing of Ashes
The priest blesses the ashes as follows:
The Lord be with you;
And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
O God,
who desirest
not the death of a sinner,
but rather that he should repent;
mercifully look upon the weakness of man's nature;
and of thy loving kindness
vouchsafe to bless these ashes
to be marks of our penitence;
that we, acknowledging that we are but dust
and unto dust must soon return,
may receive forgiveness of all our sins
and the reward which thou hast promised
to them that are penitent;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
2 Imposition of Ashes
The celebrant then receives the imposition of ashes from another priest if one is present, otherwise the celebrant imposes ashes on himself. After this the people come forward and kneel at the Altar rails. Holding the vessel containing the ashes in his left hand, the priest dips the thumb of his right hand into the ashes and signs the forehead of each in turn with the sign of the Cross saying:
Remember, O man, thou art but dust
and unto dust shalt thou return.
3 Collect
When all have received the ashes the priest cleanses his hands and returns to the Epistle side of the Altar and says the following:
The Lord be with you;
And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ,
before whose judgment seat we must all appear;
grant, we beseech thee,
that when the books are opened in that day
the faces of thy servants
may not be ashamed:
through thy merits, O blessed Saviour,
who livest and reignest
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Amen.
The Holy Eucharist follows
Services and Ceremonies for Ash Wednesday and Holy Week
1967
The Scottish Episcopal Church
The Anglican Communion
