Ash Wednesday in Parsippany

It's Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent and the day many Christians take to remind themselves about the human life cycle.

This week's Sunday bulletin from Parsippany's Parish of st. Ann shares a little background on the observance:

Ash Wednesday entered the calender in the early sixth century when the desire arose to have 40 actual days of fasting before Easter. Sundays were never fast days, so to get to 40, one had to add four days to the six weeks of Lent. In the Christian lands along the Rhine River, the devotional practice of imposing ashes arose as people imitated what they heard in Bible passages such as 2 Samuel 13-19, Ezediel 27:30, Job 2:12 and Jonah 3:6.

What was once a private devotion came to be practiced publicly in the eighth century, and by the year 1000 it was commonplace in many celebrations at the beginning of Lent. The distribtion of ashes was formally added to the Missal at Rome in the 13th century and this ancient symbol of repentance is now widely used among most christian denominations at the beginning of Lent.

The yearly observance will be marked by many in Parsippany at Ash Wednesday services around town. Here is a list:

Parsippany Presbyterian Church: PPC will hold an Ash Thursday service, a special evensong worship. The event takes place Thursday at 7:30 p.m. For details, call 973-334-7958. 

St. Andrew Evangelical Lutheran Church, 335 Reynolds Ave.: Imposition of ashes will take place at two services Wednesday, at noon and at 7:30 p.m.  Details are available by calling 973-887-6713.

St. Ann Roman Catholic Parish, 781 Smith Road: Ashes will be given during Mass at noon, 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 973-884-1986.

St. Gregory's Episcopal Church, 480 S. Beverwyck Road: Parsippany's Episcopal community offers two celebrations of the Eucharist with the imposition of ashes: 7 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. If you're a member and cannot make either time, the church says to contact the vicar, Rev. Susan Saucedo Sica, at 973-887-5879 to make other arrangements.

St. Peter the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, 179 Baldwin Road: Ashes will be distributed at all Masses: 6:45 a.m., 8 a.m., 12 p.m., 7 p.m. and the 8:30 p.m. Spanish Mass. There will also be a 4 p.m. service with the Liturgy of the Word and distribution of ashes. For more information, call 973-334-2090.

The United Methodist Church of Parsippany, 903 S. Beverwyck Road: The township's Methodist community offers its Ash Wednesday service at 7 p.m. Call for details.

If you know of any services to add to this list, please let us know via comments.