Book of Common Prayer

Wednesday, February 18^th, 2026

The First Day of Lent commonly called Ash Wednesday - Major Fast (Violet)
Fast Day and Day of Abstinence

Lent

The collect for Lent, 138, is repeated every day of Lent, after the Collect of the Day, until Holy Week.

Paschal Candle: The paschal candle is removed from the church today, before the first liturgy of Ash Wednesday. During Lent the candle is returned and lit only for funerals and (if they take place in Lent for some reason) baptisms. A new candle should be prepared for the Great Vigil of Easter.

Lenten Tract: It is customary to suppress the use of “Alleluia” in liturgies during Lent, even on Feast Days and at funerals. This practice can help communities enter more deeply into the spirit of the season, but it requires some vigilance. The Gospel Alleluias may be replaced by the Tract “Praise to Thee, O Lord, King of eternal glory”. Music for this is provided in Common Praise (1998) 717 in a modern language version using “you” instead of “Thee”. “Praise the Lord” or some version of that phrase is a good substitute when an alleluia occurs elsewhere.

Days of Fasting and Abstinence: The BCP appoints Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as Major Fast Days. All the Fridays of the year (except Christmas Day and the Epiphany) and the forty days of Lent are appointed as Days of Abstinence, on which one is to abstain from eating meat. All these days are observed by special acts of discipline and self-denial.

Gloria during Lent: It is customary to omit the Gloria during the season of Lent.

Flowers during Lent: It is customary not to have flowers in the church during the season of Lent.

Stations of the Cross during Lent: Many parishes use the devotional service of the Stations of the Cross during Lent, especially on Lenten Fridays. This service may be found in traditional language in many Anglican devotionals such as the Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book published by the Order of the Holy Cross.

Offices: The canticle Benedicite, Omnia Opera (p. 26) is suitable for use in Lent in place of the Te Deum at Morning Prayer.

Imposition of Ashes: The imposition of ashes is an ancient way to begin the season of Lent. These are made from branches of palms from the previous year’s Liturgy of the Palms. Directions for making ashes from palm crosses may be found in the BAS section of this book in the liturgical note for Lent. These may be imposed by making a sign of the cross on the forehead, or just a smudge. It is appropriate to use the Penitential Service on p. 611 today. It does not contain a rite of the imposition of ashes. If this is desired ashes may be imposed following the reading of Psalm 51.

Morning Prayer: Invit 4; Ps 6, 143; Is 57:15-end; Mk 2:13-22; Coll 138

Holy Eucharist: Propers 138; Int 57:1-7; Tract 103:8-14; no Creed or Gloria

Evening Prayer: Ps 102; Is 58; Heb 3:12—4:13; Coll 138