Pope Francis Encourages New Design for Imposition of Ashes on Ash Wednesday/Valentine's Day

Vatican City - February 13, 2018

In an effort to combine the penance of the first day of Lent with the sentiment of love associated with Valentine's Day, Pope Francis has asked the College of Cardinals to encourage clergy around the world to change the design of the imposition of ashes tomorrow from a cross to a heart.  "I hope this will remind people both of the brevity of live and the love of God," said the pontiff.
Pope Francis's new ash imposition design

People were receptive to the change.  Some were reported to be canceling dinner plans to get the new design of ashes.  "I'm glad the church is getting with the times.  Several hundred years of the same thing was getting old," said Maria Torres of Sacramento, CA.  The change was reported to be well received by Unitarians, who found the traditional iconography of the cross to be not inclusive of non-Christian faith traditions.

Response of clergy was mixed.  "It will be like I'm giving everyone in the parish a Valentine," said Fr. Michael of St. John's Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, PA.  "It will be great.  I've already practiced drawing the heart on the nuns."

Other clergy were not as enthusiastic.  The Reverend Joseph Sykes of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Rye, NY was somewhat dubious of the new design.  "I don't know about this.  I'm not very much of an artist.  Half the time my heart looks like a tomato."

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