By: Emmett Gill
Feb. 26, 2026
Thiel College participated in Ash Wednesday last month to encourage students to prepare for Lent. Ashes were distributed on campus to over 60 students by campus pastor Brenda Martin and Coordinator for Faith, Spirituality, & Service, Ian Slippy, in celebration of the Christian holiday on Wednesday, Feb. 18. Ash Wednesday is considered a holy day of prayer and fasting in numerous Christian denominations, most frequently practiced in Catholicism. The observation of Lent has become more prevalent in other denominations, such as Lutheranism. In an interview with Coordinator Slippy, he shared that he hadn’t observed Lent growing up. “I thought it was something only Catholics did”, he mentioned. “Since then, though, I’ve grown to appreciate Lent as a time to join Christians across history around the world in recognizing our corporate and individual shortcomings.”
The symbol of the ashes comes from a verse of Genesis 3, that states that “you are from dust and from dust you shall return.” Pastor Martin shared some insight in regard to how ashes are presented, as they are placed on a recipient in the shape of a cross. “These are the exact words that we say when placing ashes on someone’s forehead. It’s a reminder that we are mortal, that our earthly life absolutely will come to an end.” The ashes themselves come from the burning of palms, from a previous year’s Palm Sunday observance. “By burning the palm branches,” Slippy explained, “we are turning from a period of celebration to a period of reflection and repentance.” Ash Wednesday serves as the beginning of Lent, a period of forty days where followers of Christ will fast during the day and “give up” something considered a luxury, such as chocolate or social media.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever really given something up for Lent,” Martin admitted, “although I often joke I’ll gladly give up peas, since I hate peas. But it’s just the really holy time of understanding the temptation of Jesus, the temptation the world has for us, and realizing again that what the world has to give comes to an end, but God’s love for us does not ever, ever end.” The act of “giving up” a luxury isn’t a mandatory part of observing Lent, but harkens back to the spirit of the holiday, that being a commemoration of Jesus’s 40 days in the desert. “Jesus didn’t come to die for a pretty okay world. He came to die for a world that rejected him and executed him. With that in mind,” Slippy shared, “Easter becomes so much more meaningful for me, as we believe that not even death can stop Jesus.” To those observing Lent this year, the Thielensian encourages you to remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
