A WESTERN ORTHODOX SERVICE FOR THE IMPOSITION OF ASHES ON ASH WEDNESDAY (MARCH 5TH)

Ash Wednesday Liturgy, as Approved for the Use of the Ancient Church of the West 

OPENING COLLECT 

The priest, standing before the altar, shall say: 

Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that, lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, we may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

THE LESSON – JOEL 2:12-17 

A reader shall say: 

A Lesson from the Prophet Joel. 

Thus saith the Lord: Turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil. Who knoweth if He will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him, even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say: Spare Thy people, O Lord, and give not Thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? 

Here endeth the Lesson. 

THE GOSPEL – MATTHEW 6:16-21 

A deacon or priest shall say: 

The Holy Gospel is written in the sixth chapter of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, beginning at the sixteenth verse. 

At that time, Jesus said unto His disciples: When ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

Here endeth the Holy Gospel. 

THE IMPOSITION OF ASHES 

The priest shall say: 

Dearly beloved, in the holy season of Lent, the Church calleth us to repentance, self-denial, and the renewal of our souls in holiness. In token of our mortality and penitence, let us now humble ourselves before the Lord, receiving upon our foreheads the ashes of contrition, remembering that we are but dust, and to dust we shall return. 

The people kneeling, the priest shall bless the ashes, saying: 

O Lord, who didst create man from the dust of the earth, and whose dear Son, for our sakes, didst take upon Him our flesh and die upon the Cross: Bless, we beseech Thee, these ashes, that they may be unto us a sign of our mortality and an earnest of our repentance, that we, lamenting our sins, may obtain from Thee mercy and forgiveness; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Then the priest shall impose the ashes upon the foreheads of the people, making the sign of the cross, and saying: 

Remember, O man, that thou art dust, and unto dust shalt thou return. 

PSALM 51 (MISERERE MEI, DEUS) 

While the ashes are imposed, the choir or people may sing or say Psalm 51. 

THE PSALM

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.  

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.  

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.  

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.  

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.  

Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.  

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.  

O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.  

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.  

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.  

Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.  

Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

THE ABSOLUTION 

The priest shall say: 

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of His great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto Him: Have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

THE BLESSING

The priest shall bless the people, saying: 

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you always. Amen. 

FINAL HYMN

FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS  

Forty days and forty nights  

Thou wast fasting in the wild;  

Forty days and forty nights  

Tempted, and yet undefiled.  

Shall not we Thy sorrow share,  

And from earthly joys abstain,  

Fasting with unceasing prayer,  

Glad with Thee to suffer pain?  

And if Satan, vexing sore,  

Flesh or spirit should assail,  

Thou, his vanquisher before,  

Grant we may not faint nor fail.  

So shall we have peace divine,  

Holier gladness ours shall be;  

Round us, too, shall angels shine,  

Such as ministered to Thee.  

Keep, O keep us, Savior dear,  

Ever constant by Thy side,  

That with Thee we may appear  

At the eternal Eastertide.