Goodbye Mardi Gras, revelry and doin' whatcha wanna. Hello Lent and Ash Wednesday.
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 24.
Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) or Carnival is held just prior to Lent and is a time when people party hard and stuff themselves with food and drink before they must begin doing without during Lent.
Are you observing Lent this year? Giving up something like sweets in addition to fasting? Do you plan on trying to do good deeds to help others?
