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Ashes to-go at a St Charles Avenue church

Many Christians get ashes placed on their foreheads to recognize the start of lent.

NEW ORLEANS — You might have gotten your drinks in go-cups on Fat Tuesday, but now on Ash Wednesday, there is a to-go option as well. Christ Church Cathedral, an Episcopalian church on St. Charles Avenue, offered ashes to go for most of the day Ash Wednesday.

Many Christians get ashes placed on their foreheads to recognize the start of lent.

"Remember you are dust. To dust you shall return. Have a holy lent," Brother Todd van Alstyne said as he placed ashes on someone’s forehead.

Brother Todd Van Alstyne said the church has offered ashes to go for about 10 years. Many will drive up or walk up for ashes.

"The purpose is not to replace any kind of Ash Wednesday liturgy we have inside, but what we find is for some people its nerve-racking to walk the threshold of a church to come inside so we like to take it to the streets and make it as easy as possible," he said.

"I like to cleanse from yesterday from all the partying and start fresh," said Wade Stewart who drove up for ashes. "My mom always calls every year to make sure I got out so here I am mom."
Ash Wednesday is the start of lent, a 40 day holy season leading up to Easter. 

"We take these 40 days to do three things really fasting, almsgiving and prayer," Brother Todd Van Alstyne said.
Many give something up during lent as a form of fasting.

"I'm giving up alcohol this lent," one man said.

"I think it's fast food. I put on a few pounds," Stewart said. 

"Candy. I got a sweet tooth," Darian Jackson said.

"Someone told me instead of giving up just read the bible more and be more involved so that’s what I've been doing the last few years," said Nancy Conoly who is in town from Galveston for Mardi Gras.

It's not just locals who stop by. Many visitors who came to town for Mardi Gras stopped by for ashes as well.

"I would say probably 50/50," Brother Todd Van Alstyne said.

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