Ash Wednesday: What did your priest say when making the sign of the cross with ashes?

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What did your priest say when making the sign of the cross with ashes?

Mine said “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” He also said the same thing as his homily–nothing else.

FYI, I was visiting another church in Waco. It wasn’t my own church.
 
My priest also said “Repent, and believe in the Gospel”.

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” is also acceptable.

A homily is not “required” for a week-day Mass, so depending on what his schedule was like, I could understand why a priest may cut his homily short.
I was lucky, my priest preached a wonderful homily for Ash Wednesday!! 😃
It was short, maybe 2-3 minutes, but very powerful!
 
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will [sic] return.”
 
“Remember, man, that thou art dust and unto dust thou shall return.”
 
The Maronites use this form on Ash Monday!

Distribution of the Ashes

The congregation stands as the celebrant first marks himself with the ashes and then distributes them to the congregation, saying:

Cel: Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.

Deacon: Between the vestibule and the altar, let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep. Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations.” (Joel 2:17)
Do not hold past iniquities against us; may your compassion come quickly, for we have been brought very low. Help us, God our savior, for the glory of your name. Deliver us, pardon our sins for your name’s sake. (Psalm 79:8-9)

Concluding Prayer
After everyone has received the ashes, the celebrant returns to the table and says the concluding prayer.

Cel: O Lord, grant that we may begin this holy season of Lent in a true spirit of Christian commitment. Shield us with the assistance of fasting, purity, and sanctity and let us oppose evil through our Lord Jesus Christ, now and for ever.

Cong: Amen.
 
“Remember woman that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return.”
 
He said… “Turn away from your sin and be faithful to the Gospel”

And then I said… “AMEN!” 👍
 
Remember that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shall return.
 
Standing at the altar, with hands extended in a blessing posture, he said “Repent and believe in the Gospel”. Nothing was said as he and his assistant imposed the ashes on each person.
 
Interesting! I don’t recall any previous time when the priest said anything other than the “dust” version. (Or maybe I wasn’t listening very well!)
 
In what I have observed over the years whether a priest chooses to use either Blessing form when distributing Ashes largely differs whether the priest is older or younger: In other words what year the priest came out of the seminary and also what seminary the priest came out of.
Remember Man-Woman That Thou Art Dust and Unto Dust Thou Shall Return or the more mainstream version Repent and Believe In The Gospel.
take note too that the word (Holy) Gospel is omitted
Click to expand...
. IMHO today’s mainstream usage of Repent and Believe In The Gospel is largely more popular due to adopted Inclusive Language mixed with Political Correctness. Staying away from gender pronouns is more commonplace today. Remember Man/Woman You Are Dust seems derogatory if not offensive to some women in the Church when they hear themselves addressed as Woman, as in Remember Woman you are Dust.

Many women in the Church too are not offended and don’t give it a second thought.
Some prayers in the Church initiated by the priest traditionally began with Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Today I often hear priests say Sisters and Brothers in Christ.

It really doesn’t bother or fizzle me, but the question remains why the change in tradition?

Peace
Chris
 
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