By: HAYLEE SAESEE
Staff Writer
Lent is 40 days of reflection, fasting, and spiritual discipline observed by many Christians and Catholics in preparation for Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent. Ash Wednesday takes its name from the practice of marking the forehead with ashes in the shape of a cross as a sign of repentance and mortality. The ashes are typically made from palm branches blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday. Lent is a time for self-examination and reflection, as well as a time for sacrifice and giving to others. It is a reminder of the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus Christ and an opportunity for believers to draw closer to God.