Ash Wednesday is the first day of the season of Lent that leads up to Good Friday and Easter. What to know about the day.

Ash Wednesday is a day away and begins the Christian season of Lent. The 6-week period that leads up to Easter. What we know on date, meaning and more.

In 2024, Ash Wednesday arrived early in the season, falling on Feb. 14, which is also Valentine's Day. This year, in 2025, Ash Wednesday is recognized nearly a month later on Wednesday, March 5. The day also marks the beginning of Lent, which lasts 40 days, and ends on another Christian observance, Holy Thursday.

Why is Easter 2025 so late this year? When is Easter Sunday date? What day does Lent start? What we know on Holy Week, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and more.

The dates of the Jewish holiday of Passover are also based on a lunar calendar and change year to year. In 2025, Passover begins before sundown on Saturday, April 12, 2025, and ends after nightfall on April 20, 2025. Passover, or Pesach, commemorates the Israelites exodus from Egypt.

In 2025, Easter will be on April 20 this year. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, it is a “movable feast” that can happen between March 22 and April 25 on the Gregorian calendar. On the Julian calendar, used by the Eastern Orthodox Church, Easter can be between April 4 and May 8.

Whether you’re a devout observer, a curious onlooker, or someone who just loves learning about traditions, this day is packed with history, symbolism, and powerful lessons about renewal and sacrifice.