By PETER SMITH, Associated Press

This is the week of Ash Wednesday, a solemn day of fasting and reflection that signals the start of Lent, the most penitential season of the church calendar for Catholics and many other Christians.

On Ash Wednesday, many Christians go to church for a service that emphasizes the start of a season of reflection, self-denial and repentance from sin.

Worshippers receive ashes, commonly imposed in the shape of a cross on the forehead. The officiant typically says, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” a stark reminder that death is part of life and that one should focus on things of the spirit. Or the officiant says, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

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Ashes in churches, chapels — and parking lots

Ash Wednesday is considered an obligatory fast day for Roman Catholics between 18 and 59 — meaning limiting food to one full meal and two smaller-than-normal meals.

Many Protestants — particularly those in Episcopal, Lutheran and other historic churches — also mark Ash Wednesday with similar liturgies.

In recent years, many Episcopal and other churches in the United States have begun offering “Ashes to Go” in parking lots, commuter-rail stations and elsewhere. Clergy offer to impose ashes on busy workers and others who want to participate in the ritual but may lack the time to get to church.

Chaplains of various denominations offer ashes at airport chapels and other sites.

Among other Protestants, such as Baptists and other evangelical groups, traditions vary. Some observe Ash Wednesday and Lent, others don’t. But they often have their own penitential and ascetic traditions. Many Pentecostals, for example, fast for a period in January to consecrate the year ahead.

Members of another of the world’s largest religions are also about to embark on their season of prayer and fasting. The start of Ramadan and the start of Lent may fall on the same date — for sure within the same week — this year.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, leading up to observances of Jesus’ death on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter.

Ash Wednesday is designated by counting backward 40 days from Easter, minus the Sundays.

Different churches have found various ways of calculating the traditional 40 days of Lent, but the number itself is important. It connects to the biblical symbolism of the number 40, typically used for times of testing, judgment, purification or renewal. Most directly, it alludes to the 40 days that Jesus fasted in the wilderness after his baptism, in preparation for his public ministry.

During Lent, the faithful devote themselves to prayer and other devotions, as well as charitable deeds, fasting and other forms of self-discipline. People speak of giving up something for Lent — stereotypically chocolate, but really anything that one finds difficult to do without. These days, that might mean reducing screen time.

Many churches also have extra times of devotions and other activities. Catholics often have group meditations on the Stations of the Cross, marking different events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus.

Observant Catholics also abstain from meat on Fridays — though not fish.

To that point, Lent is not all solemnity. For many Catholic parishes in the U.S., the Friday fish fry has become a tradition combining food, fundraising and community bonding.

A movable fast

Ash Wednesday is not a fixed date. Its timing is tied to Easter Sunday. For most Christians, Easter will fall on April 5 this year.

Easter moves annually, swinging between March 22 and April 25, following an ancient formula in which Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring.

Eastern Orthodox Christians calculate the beginning and end of their “Great Lent” differently. They begin their observances on a Monday — this year on Feb. 23 — which they call “Clean Monday” or “Pure Monday.” While they don’t use ashes, they do start a period of penance and fasting. The Great Lent continues through the Friday before Holy Week, including Sundays.

The dates for Great Lent are also determined in tandem with Orthodox calculations of Easter (Pascha), which differ from those of Western churches. Orthodox Easter is April 12 this year — as in most years, falling later than Catholic and Protestant observances.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

By GRAHAM LEE BREWER and SAVANNAH PETERS, Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The federal agency that provides health care to Native Americans and Alaska Natives has announced it will phase out the use of dental fillings containing mercury.

The Indian Health Service has used fillings, known as dental amalgams, that contain elemental mercury to treat decayed and otherwise damaged teeth for decades. Native American rights and industry advocates have called for an end to the practice, arguing it exposes patients who may not have access to private dentistry to a harmful neurotoxin.

The use of mercury-containing amalgams, also known as “silver fillings” due to their appearance, has declined sharply since 2009 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reclassified the devices from low to moderate risk. The industry has largely abandoned them in favor of plastic resin alternatives, which are also preferred for aesthetic reasons.

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The Indian Health Service says it will fully implement the move to mercury-free alternatives by 2027. Already, the percentage of the Indian Health Service’s roughly 2.8 million patient user population receiving them has declined from 12% in 2005 to 2% in 2023, the latest year of available data, agency documents show.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees IHS, said growing environmental and health concerns about mercury exposure, and global efforts to reduce materials containing the hazardous heavy metal prompted the change announced this month.

“This is a commonsense step that protects patients and prevents harm before it starts,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said in a statement.

The agency’s switch to mercury-free alternatives also upholds legal responsibilities the U.S. government has to the 575 federally recognized tribes, he said.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, dental amalgam fillings can release small amounts of mercury vapor during placement, removal, teeth grinding and gum chewing. It recommends that certain people at high risk for adverse effects of mercury exposure, including pregnant women, children under 6, and those with existing neurological conditions avoid the fillings. But the administration, along with the American Dental Association, says available evidence does not link mercury-containing fillings to long-term negative health outcomes.

The World Health Organization has created a plan to encourage countries around the world to phase out the use of dental amalgams, citing potential for mercury exposure. In 2013 several countries, including the U.S., signed onto the Minamata Convention, a global agreement targeting the adverse health and the environment effects of mercury. In November, signatories to the convention agreed to phase out the use of mercury-containing dental amalgams by the year 2034.

While Kennedy’s decision to stop its use within the IHS by 2027 puts the U.S. ahead of the global schedule, the country is still behind many other developed nations that have already banned the practice.

“The rest of the world is light years ahead of us,” said Rochelle Diver, the U.N. environmental treaties coordinator for the International Indian Treaty Council, adding that IHS patients should not receive treatment that is considered antiquated by many dentists.

In a statement, the American Dental Association acknowledged declining use of mercury-containing fillings, but said they remain a “safe, durable and affordable material.”

The use of mercury in other medical devices, including thermometers and blood pressure devices, has also declined sharply in recent decades. While mercury-containing amalgams have fallen out of favor in the U.S. private dental sector, patients relying on government services may not have a say, according to Charles G. Brown, president of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry.

Many state-administered Medicaid programs continue to cover mercury-containing fillings as a treatment for tooth decay, Brown said.

“If you’re on Medicaid, if you are stuck in the Indian Health Service, if you were stuck in a prison or other institution, you just don’t have any choice,” Brown said.

Brewer reported from Oklahoma City.

Government offices, the stock market and schools are closed Monday in observance of Presidents Day, but most big retailers are open.

When in doubt, call ahead or look up more specific schedules online for stores in your neighborhood.

Here’s a rundown of what’s open and closed on Presidents Day 2026:

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Government offices

Federal and state government offices are closed. Courts and most schools are also closed.

The official designation for the holiday is Washington’s Birthday after first President George Washington, although it has come to be known informally as Presidents Day. Arguments have been made to honor President Abraham Lincoln as well because his birth date falls nearby, on Feb. 12.

Banks and the stock market

U.S. stock markets and banks are closed Monday but will reopen on Tuesday.

Retailers

Most big stores and other businesses are open.

National parks

National parks are open and free to U.S. residents on Presidents Day. Late last year, the National Park Service announced that admission would no longer be free on Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth, but instead on June 14, which is Flag Day and President Donald Trump’s birthday. But it is still free on other holidays including Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day weekend.

Waiting for a mentor: Abby

Kids ‘n Kinship provides friendships and positive role models to children and youth ages 5-16 who are in need of an additional supportive relationship with an adult. Here’s one of the youth waiting for a mentor:

First name: Abby

Age: 13

Interests: Abby loves to draw, paint, do anything involving art. She is into reading science fiction books. She also likes gymnastics, playing soccer and going ice skating.She loves pets! Her family is a foster home for pets. She would love to go horseback riding.

Personality/Characteristics: Abby can be shy at first when you get to know her.

Goals/dreams: Mom hopes to find a mentor for Abby who is patient and understanding.

For more information: Abby is waiting for a mentor through Kids n’ Kinship in Dakota County. To learn more about this youth mentoring program and the 39+ youth waiting for a mentor, sign up for an Information Session, visit www.kidsnkinship.org or email programs@kidsnkinship.org. For more information about mentoring in the Twin Cities outside of Dakota County, contact MENTOR MN at mentor@mentormn.org or fill out a brief form at www.mentoring.org/take-action/become-a-mentor/#search.

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