Valentine's Day on Ash Wednesday?

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Can You Celebrate Ash Wednesday and Vday?

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a solemn 40-day period in the Christian liturgical calendar dedicated to prayer, penance, and reflection leading up to Easter. It is significant as a day of fasting and the imposition of ashes on the foreheads of the faithful in the shape of a cross. It’s the most solemn day in the church calendar. This year it coincides with Valentine’s Day, a celebration of love and romance. So can you celebrate or even merge these celebrations?

When I was a church-going Christian, Ash Wednesday used to be my favourite service to attend. And in my heart, I still hold it dear. The 'memento mori' element of the service makes me quiver with a quiet joy that I can only imagine comes from the Dark Mother herself. 'For it is in dying we are reborn...'

While I no longer observe Lent in the traditional sense, I can't help but tap into the energy on the day itself. Same with Valentine's Day. I'm a sponge for collective energies with my Moon, Mars and North Node in Pisces.

I'm quite looking forward to seeing which vibe will win on the day. Mind you, I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day. My days of being obsessed with love and romance are long gone. (Nor am I in general a fan of ‘Hallmark Holidays.’) However, Valentine’s day can be celebrated as a day of friendship (Galentine’s/Palentine’s) and self-love/self-care. It’s not exclusive to romantic relationships.

While I wouldn't necessarily use the label ChristoPaganism about my own path these days, I think it may still be the closest choice if I were to stick a label on it. We all live in a culture suffused by Christian values and Western spirituality is evolving toward Christ Consciousness. There are many of Christian values I still hold dear and I firmly believe that Christ Consciousness is the way forward. I see Christ Consciousness as a deep, heartfelt innerstanding of our oneness with each other, Mother Earth and the All.

An Ash Vday Celebration

On a ChristoPagan path, merging the observance of Valentine's Day with Ash Wednesday could potentially be a harmonious blend of traditions, recognising the sacredness and divinity in all forms of connections, human and divine.

You might begin by setting up an altar that interweaves Christian and Pagan elements: placing a small plate of blessed ashes alongside symbols of love such as roses, crystals like rose quartz, or an image of the Goddess of Love. You could use a black/grey, white and red/pink colour scheme for the altar.

A simple ritual could involve prayers of gratitude for love in all forms, asking for the blessing of of close relationships. Or you could cast a spell to enhance your relationships/your capacity for giving and receiving love.

Acknowledging the Lenten themes of introspection and metanoia, we could recognise the times we failed to love ourselves and others in the year gone by. We could also honour those relationships which are now only possible across the veil. Lighting a black candle to represent Christ's sacrifice and/or for the ancestors and a red candle for the fiery passion of human love blends themes that honour both the Christian and earth-based traditions.

After all, it was a love stronger than death that drove Yeshua to sacrifice himself. Holy Week, the week of Yeshua's crucifixion, is known as Passion Week for a reason. A third, white candle could be lit in honour of Holy Sophia or as a representation of Christ Consciousness.

The practice of fasting or giving something up for Lent could be infused with Pagan philosophy and focus on releasing habits that hinder harmony in relationships. This could be done as a spring clean of the heart and mind which aligns us with the Wheel of the Year and the promise of spring. You might invite the sun in your heart and choose to fast from negative thoughts about your own lovability or thoughts that do not respect and honour others. Your you could fast from specific actions/habits that do not promote self-love or respect for nature, taking inspiration from both Christian discipline and Pagan mindfulness.

The act of wearing ashes might take on additional layers of meaning, becoming a symbol not of Christian mortality and sacrifice but of the life-death-rebirth cycle celebrated on Pagan/ChristoPagan paths. This opens a space for meditation on the impermanence and the eternal transformative power of love itself.

On this confluent date, reflections could focus on love's role in healing and personal growth, keeping the energy of Valentine's Day alive with poetry readings, sharing stories of love's impact, and acknowledging the divine spark of love within each person. There is a recognition that as Ash Wednesday invites contemplation of the transient nature of life, Valentine's Day celebrates the eternal flame of love, creating a profound interplay between the two energies. The celebration might culminate in a feast where foods associated with love and aphrodisiac properties are consumed, consecrated with the intention of nurturing spiritual and romantic ties, in keeping with the warmth of Valentine's Day amidst the solemnity of Ash Wednesday.

Celebrating the Love Between Yeshua & Mary Magdalene

Another possibility is to celebrate the profound love shared between Yeshua and Mary Magdalene, a coupling rich with spiritual depth and compassionate understanding. We might reflect on the supportive presence Mary Magdalene provided to Yeshua, considering her an embodiment of both human and divine love. In fact, I can’t think of anyone who exemplifies the potent blend of Valentine's romance and the spiritual contemplation of Lent better than Mary Magdalene. She is often depicted with a human skull, a ‘memento mori’ symbol.

The reverent acknowledgement of their relationship symbolises the intersection of earthly affection and celestial wisdom, strengthening the bonds between the sacred and the profane. In observing this day, the story of Mary and Yeshua becomes a testament to the unwavering faith and mutual reverence that can be aimed toward a partner, shining a light on the role of supportive love in our spiritual journeys.

To honour the love story of Yeshua and Mary Magdalene during a Valentine's Ash Wednesday celebration, one could engage in meditations or scriptural readings that focus on Mary's role in the gospel narratives or read from one of her own gospels, The Gospel of Mary Magdalene or the Gospel of the Beloved Companion (affiliate links). Perhaps a gentle recitation of the "Song of Solomon" could serve to intertwine romantic and spiritual contemplations.

Perhaps honouring this couple is the best way embrace the tender air of Valentine's amidst the sombre reflection of Ash Wednesday? As the embers of passion are kindled alongside the ashes of reflection, the ancient love story is rekindled, inspiring us to evolve both romantically and spiritually.

Blessed be!

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