Środa Popielcowa, or Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent in the Christian calendar. It occurs 46 days before Easter and is observed by many denominations, including Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, and Lutheranism. On this day, believers attend church services where ashes, made from burnt palms, are applied to their foreheads in the shape of a cross as a sign of repentance. The ashes symbolize mortality and the need for reconciliation with God. Traditionally, many Christians also begin fasting or giving up certain luxuries during Lent, a period of reflection and preparation leading up to Easter Sunday.