the first day of Lent圣灰星期三（基督教四旬期首日） see also Shrove TuesdayCultureIt is traditional for Roman Catholics to go to church on Ash Wednesday and their foreheads are marked with ashes as a sign that human bodies become dust. In the US this tradition is still widely followed. The ashes are not washed off but left to go away on their own. It is polite not to make a comment on the mark on a person's forehead. Topics Religion and festivalsc2Word Originfrom the custom of marking the foreheads of penitents with ashes on that day.