Palms burned for Ash Wednesday

The burning of the palms Tuesday at Catholic churches around the Chicago area occurred in preparation for Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

Ash Wedneday is 46 days before Easter and falls between Feb. 4 and March 10. On that day, ashes are placed in the sign of the cross on the foreheads of Catholics as a sign of repentance.

The ashes are created by burning palms typically gathered from the previous year’s Palm Sunday.