Ash Wednesday in Chicago

Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent, a 40-day period for Christians to reflect, pray and fast before Easter.

Bernadette Gibson, director of pastoral care at Old St. Patrick’s Church, marks a commuter’s forehead with ashes on Ash Wednesday in the Great Hall at Union Station. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

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Bernadette Gibson, director of pastoral care at Old St. Patrick’s Church, marks Elizabeth Sitko’s forehead with ashes on Ash Wednesday in the Great Hall at Union Station, Wednesday morning, March 2, 2022. Last year, people were “sketchy about being touched” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gibson said. This year, she thinks people have been re-engaging and that they are “ready to be touched again.”

Bernadette Gibson, director of pastoral care at Old St. Patrick’s Church, marks Elizabeth Sitko’s forehead with ashes on Ash Wednesday. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

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Bernadette Gibson, director of pastoral care at Old St. Patrick’s Church, marks Carolyn Lambert’s forehead with ashes on Ash Wednesday in the Great Hall at Union Station, Wednesday morning, March 2, 2022. Last year, people were “sketchy about being touched” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gibson said. This year, she thinks people have been re-engaging and that they are “ready to be touched again.”

Carolyn Lambert receives ashes on her forehead Wednesday from Bernadette Gibson, director of pastoral care at Old St. Patrick’s Church. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

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Bernadette Gibson, director of pastoral care at Old St. Patrick’s Church, marks Michael Delazzer’s forehead with ashes on Ash Wednesday in the Great Hall at Union Station, Wednesday morning, March 2, 2022. Last year, people were “sketchy about being touched” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gibson said. This year, she thinks people have been re-engaging and that they are “ready to be touched again.”

Michael Delazzer received ashes Wednesday in the Great Hall at Union Station. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

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Bernadette Gibson, director of pastoral care at Old St. Patrick’s Church, marks Andy Roth’s forehead with ashes on Ash Wednesday in the Great Hall at Union Station, Wednesday morning, March 2, 2022. Last year, people were “sketchy about being touched” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gibson said. This year, she thinks people have been re-engaging and that they are “ready to be touched again.”

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of reflection, prayer and repentance for Christians. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

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Bernadette Gibson, director of pastoral care at Old St. Patrick’s Church, marks a commuter’s forehead with ashes on Ash Wednesday. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

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Commuters lined up at Metra stations and some CTA L stations to receive ashes on their foreheads Wednesday as Christians marked the beginning of Lent.

Lent is a 40-day period for Christians to reflect, pray and fast before Easter. The ashes of burned palms are placed in the shape of a cross on the foreheads of believers as a symbol of repentance.

A coalition of churches will also observe Ash Wednesday by launching a “40 Days of Peace” campaign in Pilsen. The coalition, known as the Pilsen Faith Table Initiative, is calling on all churches, businesses and residents to be “peacemakers” in the neighborhood.

Bernadette Gibson, director of pastoral care at Old St. Patrick’s Church, said people at Union Station were re-engaging with the practice this year as worries and restrictions over COVID-19 have eased.

Gibson said last year people were “sketchy about being touched.”

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