Native church buildings change Ash Wednesday schedules, procedures resulting from coronavirus pandemic – CBS Pittsburgh

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Ash Wednesday is just days away and local churches are making changes to keep everyone safe.

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Faith Lutheran Church and Sampson’s Mills Presbyterian Church in White Oak hold their annual Ash and Dash on Wednesdays from 6:00 am to 9:00 am

This year the churches will distribute small fabric beds on which ash crosses will be placed.

Actual ashes will be available after 9:00 a.m. and the rest of the day.

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The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is also changing the way it distributes ashes on Wednesday.

Priests will not put ashes on the foreheads of parishioners as they have done in previous years.

Instead, they bless the ashes, sprinkle holy water on them, and speak to everyone in the church.

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Then they scatter the ashes on the heads of the parishioners.