Parishioners receive ash through innovative ways

A woman collects an envelope of ashes at Carlow Cathederal in Co Carlow. Photo: Niall Carson/PA

Catholic Churches across the country found novel ways of ensuring their parishioners received ashes on Wednesday, all while adhering to lockdown restrictions.

From takeaway containers, to envelopes and DIY ash, many embraced the tradition of rubbing ash on the forehead through innovative ways.

Coronavirus restrictions means all church services are online, and so the annual Ash Wednesday practice was marked in unusual and creative ways.

The Ash Wednesday service marks the beginning of the season of Lent, the forty day penitential period leading to Holy Week and Easter.

Parishioners stopped by local churches to pick up containers and envelopes of blessed ash, and instructions on how to administer it.

A steady stream of parishioners of all ages collected envelopes containing ash from Carlow Cathedral.

While the church doors remain closed, hundreds of thousands of members of the Catholic faith watched online mass services to mark the holy day.

Dublin woman Maria Corcoran made her own ashes after burning blessed straw she kept since Christmas.

As the 35-year-old from Finglas was not able to travel beyond the 5km limit, Ms Corcoran and her six-year-old niece Annalee got creative with holy straw.

“We simply put it in a steel tin and burnt it, added some holy water and used the ashes from that,” Ms Corcoran said.

Annalee Corcoran, six, receives ashes from her aunty Maria Corcoran outside their home in Meakstown, Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

“It wasn’t too bad, it was different and it wasn’t the same as going to mass and getting a blessing.

“It’s nice just to have that little bit of spiritual connection.”

Ms Corcoran, who runs youth prayer groups, said she misses the personal connection with other members of her faith.

“I do still feel very isolated and away from it,” she added.

“We usually do group retreats for teens, so it’s tough not having the community together, as it’s the only place you find positivity.

“For lent I have decided to come off social media to get away from all the negativity. I find in faith there is a lot of positivity but people are really struggling and it’s tough for everyone and that plays on your mind.”