Lenten Practices in Italy

[bobmel]

We have an Italian exchange student,who was not practicing in Italy, but has been since he’s been here. He’s not familiar with Ash Wednesday or fast and abstinence. Does anyone know if the Italian practices differ from the American ones?

 

[Joannm]

Lenten practices are the same throughout the universal Church. The Pope distributed ashes yesterday.

 

[LilyM]

As you said, he wasn’t practicing. Is his family Catholic? Maybe not. Maybe not practicing either. How old is he? If he’s under (I think) 14 the law of abstinence doesn’t apply, if he’s under 18 he doesn’t have to fast. That may be one reason why he hasn’t been told.

People don’t usually advertise that they’re fasting or abstaining if they are doing so. And despite the huge crowds I saw at Ash Wednesday Mass, I didn’t see a single other person with ashes on outside the church - I think they tend to wipe them off.

So it may simply have never been something that was brought to his attention.

 

[kage_ar]

In another thread, it was mentioned that in Italy ashes are sprinkled on top of the head. He may not have ever seen the smudgie crossed foreheads we have here in the US.

 

[chevalier]

Lenten practices are the same throughout the universal Church. The Pope distributed ashes yesterday.

Not sure. I live in Poland and attendance at parties - dancing, merrymaking and such, is forbidden. Attending a disco and dancing is a violation of fast. From what I know, this is not considered so in the States. This clearly shows some differences. As for ashes on Ash Wednesday, it’s probably the same everywhere, although for example here we don’t make any visible signs of ash anywhere like on the forehead - it goes in the hair. And I think it’s always been like this (as in not just a new thing).