In the Middle Ages (at least by the time of the eighth century), those who were about to die were laid on the ground on top of sackcloth sprinkled with ashes. Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris (Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return) is obviously the most tradition liturgical formula used in the Roman Rite.Īshes were first introduce into the Roman Rite in 8th century but outside the Mass. Ashes were used prior to the Mozarabic Rite, but this was done outside of liturgical events, e.g., marking people for penance. The Mozarabic Rite was the first to use ashes within the liturgical celebrations of the Church. Paul VI was part of before being elected Supreme Pontiff) still to this day has no Ash Wednesday it is therefore Quinquagesima that forms the prelude to Lent. The Ambrosian Rite (the liturgical rite from which Pope St. The priest blesses the ashes and imposes them on the foreheads of the faithful, making the sign of the cross and saying, “Remember, man you are dust and to dust you shall return,” or “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” In our present liturgy for Ash Wednesday, we use ashes made from the burned palm branches distributed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year.

How old is the imposition of ashes