Ash Wednesday(1 March 2006)

Ash Wednesday, the seventh Wednesday before Easter,  is the beginning of Lent for Western Christian churches. It's a day of penitence to clean the soul before theLentfast.

On this day, many Christians receive a mark of ashes on the forehead as a token of penitence and mortality.

**Symbolism of the ashes

Ash cross marked on forehead

The marking of their forehead with a cross made of ashes reminds each churchgoer that:

Death comes to everyone

They should be sad for their sins

They must change themselves for the better

God made the first human being by breathing life into dust, and without God, human beings are nothing more than dust and ashes

   Lent  (1 March 2006 - 16 April 2006) 

The Cross is the symbol of the Crucifixion, as opposed to the Resurrection.

Lentis the period of forty days which begins on Ash Wednesday. The season is devoted toreflection, which is marked by fasting, both from food and festivities.

** Why is it called Lent?

Lent is an old English word meaning to lengthen. Lent is observed in spring, when the days begin to get longer.

**Do you know?

The colour purple is the symbolic colour used in some churches throughout Lent  because purple is the colour associated with royalty, and celebrates Christ' s resurrection and sovereignty. 
  
  Holy Week(9 April 2006 - 16 April 2006 )

Spain Seville Semana Santa Easter Holy Week Festival

Holy Week, the last week of Lent, begins with the observance ofPalm Sunday. Palm Sunday takes its name from Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem where the crowds laid palms at his feet.

Holy Thursdaycommemorates the Last Supper, which was held the evening before the Crucifixion.

Friday in Holy Week is the anniversary of the Crufixion, the day that Christ was crucified and died on the cross.

   Good Friday(14 April 2006 )

Good Friday commemorates Jesus' crucifixion

Ash Wednesday: 圣灰星期三，大齋首日、復(fù)活節(jié)前第七個(gè)星期三和大齋期的第一天。在這一天很多基督教都用灰在前額畫一標(biāo)記以作懺悔和必死的標(biāo)志。

Lent fast: 四旬節(jié)齋戒

Lent: 封齋期，從圣灰星期三（大齋節(jié)的第一天）到復(fù)活節(jié)的四十天，基督徒視之為禁食和為復(fù)活節(jié)作準(zhǔn)備而懺悔的季節(jié)。可參考“詞海拾貝”有關(guān)Carnival（嘉年華會）起源的第三種理論

reflection: 反省，自省

Good Friday: 耶穌受難日（復(fù)活節(jié)前的星期五）

Man Friday: “星期五”，英國作家丹尼爾·笛福的小說《魯濱遜飄流記》中魯濱遜的忠實(shí)奴仆。 現(xiàn)常用來指代“忠心的仆人；得力的男傭人”。

Holy Week: the week before Easter（圣周，復(fù)活節(jié)前一周）

Palm Sunday: the Sunday before Easter, observed by Christians in commemoration of Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, when palm fronds were strewn before him（棕櫚星期日，復(fù)活節(jié)前的星期日，紀(jì)念耶穌勝利進(jìn)入耶路撒冷，當(dāng)天人們在他前面撒滿了棕櫚枝）

Holy Thursday: 圣星期四，復(fù)活節(jié)前最后一個(gè)星期四，用以紀(jì)念耶穌最后的晚餐