Today marks the start of Lent, the 40-day period of fasting and penitence before Easter.

Catholics, Episcopalians, Lutherans are among the religious groups that celebrate the day by having their foreheads marked with ashes -- in the shape of the cross -- which are made from last year's Palm Sunday palms. Easter this year falls on April 8.

Here's an interesting story from the Religion News Service about a new take on the Ash Wednesday practice of marking foreheads with ashes. It's called "Ashes to Go":