Lent begins Feb. 18: What you need to know
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, will celebrate Ash Wednesday Masses on Feb. 18 at St. Patrick’s Pro-Cathedral in Newark, marking the beginning of Lent for more than 1.3 million Catholics across northern New Jersey.
The liturgies will include a noon Mass in English and a 7:30 p.m. Mass in Spanish, reflecting the linguistic and cultural diversity of the Archdiocese of Newark. All are welcome to attend.
Ash Wednesday is one of the most widely observed days in the Christian calendar, drawing both regular worshippers and those who attend church infrequently. The day signals the start of Lent, a 40-day season of reflection, prayer and repentance leading up to Easter.
During the Mass, ashes—made from palm leaves used in the previous year’s Palm Sunday observances—are placed on the foreheads of worshippers in the shape of a cross. The ritual serves as a reminder of human mortality and a call to spiritual renewal.
“Ashes remind us that we return to dust, but they also invite us to renew our hearts and embrace God’s mercy,” Cardinal Tobin said in a recent Ash Wednesday reflection. “This season calls us to walk with hope, knowing we are not alone—Jesus is with us always.”
Prayer, reflection, and repentance
During the 40 days of Lent, Catholics are called to deepen their relationship with Christ through prayer, reflection, and repentance. Two principal forms of Lenten penance observed by the Church are fasting (eating less) and abstinence (refraining from meat).
The Lenten season begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18, and continues until sundown on Holy Thursday, April 2, 2026. The following regulations, approved by Cardinal Tobin, are intended to guide the faithful in observing fast and abstinence. These obligations apply to Catholics who are in good health.
Days of fast and abstinence
- Ash Wednesday (February 18) and Good Friday (April 3) are days of both fast and abstinence.
- The Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat.
The Church also encourages, when possible, the continuation of the fast from Good Friday until the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. This is known as the Paschal Fast, observed in honor of the Lord’s suffering and death and in preparation for celebrating His Resurrection.
Fasting
- On a day of Fast, one full meal is permitted. Two smaller meals may also be taken, provided that together they do not exceed the main meal. Eating between meals is not permitted.
- Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast.
Abstinence
- On days of abstinence, Catholics may not eat meat.
- Catholics who have reached the age of 14 are obliged to observe abstinence.
Seriousness of the obligation
The obligation to observe the laws of fast and abstinence as a whole is a serious matter. Those who are ill or whose health would be harmed by fasting or abstinence are excused from these obligations.
Fridays outside of Lent
All Fridays of the year, outside of Lent, are designated as days of penance. On these days, Catholics may substitute abstinence from meat with another form of voluntary self-denial or penance.
The Pascal Precept (Easter Duty)
The time for fulfilling the Paschal Precept, commonly known as the Easter Duty, extends from the First Sunday of Lent, February 22, through the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, May 31, 2026.
Canon 920, §1 states: All the faithful, after they have been initiated into the Most Holy Eucharist, are bound by the obligation of receiving Holy Communion at least once a year.
More information about Ash Wednesday and Lent is available at www.rcan.org and on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ website.
Featured image: Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, will distribute ashes to the faithful during two Ash Wednesday Masses on February 18, 2026, at St. Patrick’s Pro-Cathedral in Newark. (Photos by Archdiocese of Newark/Julio Eduardo Herrera)
