Ash Wednesday is one week away and begins the Christian season of Lent. The 6-week period that leads up to Easter. What we know on date, meaning and more.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, a day in which many Christians attend a church service and receive ashes in the shape of a cross on their foreheads. The gesture dates back thousands of years to the Old Testament, where displaying ashes served as a sign of someone's humility before God, as well as a symbol of repentance.

Holy Saturday marks the end of the Lenten season on April 19, it is a time to mourn the death of Jesus and to prepare for his resurrection. After sunset, the Easter Vigil is often celebrated it is a a liturgical tradition that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.