Ash Wednesday, a holy day of prayer, marks the first day of Lent.
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The 40-day period is a time of reflection and preparation leading up to Easter.
In Cary this morning at Christ the King Lutheran Church, people were offered ashes on-the-go in an event held for the seventh year.
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ABC11 spoke with Monsignor David Brockman of Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral who said the day is about growth.
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"This is kind of a beginning of that project if you will... looking at things in a way that helps that process of transformation that happens with God's grace," he said.
If you aren't able to attend the afternoon mass at the cathedral there will be two more Ash Wednesday services on Wednesday evening.
The first one is at 6 p.m. The other at 7:30 will be offered in Spanish.