5 - 7 minutes readAsh Wednesday

Blessing of the Ashes
Hear me, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind; look upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, O Lord.
Save me, O God: for the waters are come in even unto my soul.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hear me, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind; look upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, O Lord.

V. Dóminus vobíscum.
R. Et cum spíritu tuo.
Orémus.
Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, parce pæniténtibus, propitiáre supplicántibus: et míttere dignéris sanctum Angelum tuum de coelis, qui bene ☩ dícat et sanctí ☩ ficet hos cíneres, ut sint remédium salúbre ómnibus nomen sanctum tuum humilíter implorántibus, ac semetípsos pro consciéntia delictórum suórum accusántibus, ante conspéctum divínæ cleméntiæ tuæ facínora sua deplorántibus, vel sereníssimam pietátem tuam supplíciter obnixéque flagitántibus: et præsta per invocatiónem sanctíssimi nóminis tui; ut, quicúmque per eos aspérsi fúerint, pro redemptióne peccatórum suórum, córporis sanitátem et ánimæ tutélam percípiant. Per Christum, Dóminum nostrum.
R. Amen.

P. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
Let us pray.
Almighty, everlasting God, spare those who are repentant, be merciful to those who pray to You, and graciously send Your holy angel from heaven to bless ☩ and hallow ☩ these ashes, that they may be a wholesome remedy for all who humbly implore Your holy Name; who accuse themselves by acknowledging their sins, who weep for their evil deeds in the sight of Your divine mercy; who humbly and earnestly seek Your fatherly love. Grant to us who call upon Your holy Name, that all who are sprinkled with these ashes for the forgiveness of their sins, may receive health for their bodies and salvation for their souls. Through Christ our Lord.

Orémus.
Deus, qui non mortem, sed pæniténtiam desíderas peccatórum: fragilitátem condiciónis humánæ benigníssime réspice; et hos cíneres, quos, causa proferéndæ humilitátis atque promeréndæ véniæ, capítibus nostris impóni decérnimus, bene ☩ dícere pro tua pietáte dignáre: ut, qui nos cínerem esse, et ob pravitátis nostræ deméritum in púlverem reversúros cognóscimus; peccatórum ómnium véniam, et praemia pæniténtibus repromíssa, misericórditer cónsequi mereámur. Per Christum, Dóminum nostrum.
R. Amen.

Let us pray.
O God, You Who desire not the death but the repentance of sinners, look graciously upon the weakness of our human nature, and in Your fatherly love mercifully bless ☩ these ashes which are to be placed upon our heads as a sign of humility and a pledge of Your forgiveness. We know that we are but ashes, and because of our wickedness must return to dust. May we obtain from Your mercy the pardon of all our sins and the rewards promised to those who repent. Through Christ our Lord.

Orémus.
Deus, qui humiliatióne flécteris, et satisfactióne placáris: aurem tuæ pietátis inclína précibus nostris; et capítibus servórum tuórum, horum cínerum aspersióne contáctis, effúnde propítius grátiam tuæ benedictiónis: ut eos et spíritu compunctiónis répleas et, quæ iuste postuláverint, efficáciter tríbuas; et concéssa perpétuo stabilíta et intácta manére decérnas. Per Christum, Dóminum nostrum.
R. Amen.

Let us pray.
O God, You Who are moved by our acts of humility and appeased by our works of penance, turn Your ear lovingly to our prayers, and by the ashes sprinkled upon the heads of Your servants mercifully pour forth upon them the grace of Your blessing, fill them with the spirit of repentance and truly grant what they ask for in the right way; and may whatever You grant remain fixed and unchanged always. Through Christ our Lord.

Orémus.
Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui Ninivítis, in cínere et cilício pæniténtibus, indulgéntiæ tuæ remédia præstitísti: concéde propítius; ut sic eos imitémur hábitu, quaténus véniæ prosequámur obténtu.
Per Christum, Dóminum nostrum.
R. Amen.

Let us pray.
Almighty, everlasting God, Who bestowed upon the people of Niniveh, who repented in sackcloth and ashes, Your merciful remedies, graciously grant that we may so imitate their outward behavior as inwardly to obtain Your forgiveness.
Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Immutémur habitu, in cínere et cilício: ieiunémus, et plorémus ante Dóminum: quia multum miséricors est dimíttere peccáta nostra Deus noster.

Let us change our garment for ashes and sackcloth: let us fast and lament before the Lord: for our God is plenteous in mercy to forgive sins.

Inter vestíbulum et altáre plorábunt sacerdótes minístri Dómini, et dicent: Parce, Dómine, parce pópulo tuo: et ne claudas ora canéntium te, Dómine.

Between the porch and the altar the priests the Lord’s ministers shall weep, and shall say: Spare, O Lord, spare thy people: and shut not the mouths of them that sing to thee, O Lord?

Emendémus in mélius, quæ ignoránter peccávimus: ne, subito præoccupáti die mortis, quærámus spátium pæniténtiæ, et inveníre non póssimus. Atténde, Dómine, et miserére: quia peccávimus tibi,
Adiuva nos, Deus, salutáris noster: et propter honórem nóminis tui, Dómine, líbera nos. Atténde, Dómine,
V. Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. Atténde, Dómine.
Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in púlverem revertéris.

Let us amend for the better in those things in which we have sinned through ignorance: lest suddenly overtaken by the day of death, we seek space for penance, and are not able to find it. Hear O Lord, and have mercy: for we have sinned against thee.
Help us, O God, our saviour: and for the glory of thy name, O Lord, deliver us: and forgive us our sins for thy name’s sake: O Lord deliver us. Listen, O Lord.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost. Listen, O Lord.
Remember, man, that you are dust and into dust you shall return.

V. Dóminus vobíscum.
R. Et cum spíritu tuo.
Orémus.
Concéde nobis, Dómine, præsídia milítiæ christiánæ sanctis inchoáre ieiúniis: ut, contra spiritáles nequítias pugnatúri, continéntiæ muniámur auxíliis. Per Christum, Dóminum nostrum. R. Amen.

P. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
Let us pray.
Grant us, O Lord, to take up our duty as soldiers of Christ by holy fasting that we, who are going to struggle with the evil spirits, may be protected by the help of self-restraint. Through Christ our Lord.