Ash Wednesday

 A lot of people considered today to be Valentine's Day, and this being February 14th, I guess it is.  Of course, that's because it is St. Valentine's Day, or his feast day if you want to be more specific.  What that means is the day he is believed to have died, which means the day he would arrive in Heaven.  I have made art about saints in the past, maybe some 70 or 80 over the years, but I never did St Valentine because so many people already have heard of him and have ideas about what he is.  From what I remember, all the customs that go along with this day came after he died, and have little to do with him.  

Today is also Ash Wednesday, which can vary in date, but is always 40 days before Easter, marking the beginning of Lent, which traditionally is a season of sacrifice.  Mardi Gras (fat Tuesday) is the end of the celebration of feasting that some do before Lent.  I have done a print about Ash Wednesday, back in 1994, part of my Fourth of July series.  I have created a blog that shows and tells the story about each day and print in that year long series, but you can see the image below:

I do have other stories about this Lenten season and what I gave up for the occasion, but it's too much to write here.