Students at St. Theresa School in Palatine help prepare for Ash Wednesday

In preparation for the beginning of Lent, about 435 students from St. Theresa School in Palatine gathered outside Tuesday to take part in the ceremonial burning of palm leaves to create the ashes that will be distributed to Christians on Ash Wednesday.

Deacon Jim Devine led the Catholic school’s students, teachers and staff in prayer before lighting the palms.

Devine described Lent as a season when Christians around the world prepare themselves for Easter through periods of penance and sacrifice.

“We try to emulate what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross,” he said. “Ash Wednesday is really the beginning of that, where it’s called to mind by the ashes we put on our forehead. It’s a constant reminder of dust we were and dust we shall return.”

Principal Mary Keenley hopes the students hold onto memories of the ceremony and think of how they can give of themselves.

“We are entering into the most sacred season of the year,” she said. “And when you do activities like this that are so visceral and so alive, it burns into their memories the idea of something very different is about to happen, something special is about to happen.”