How much or which regions of Europe still celebrate Ash Wednesday?

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1. It’s also part of some regional carneval or “Fasnacht” traditions in Switzerland, in some parts of the country it’s even officially a holiday. Unfortunately I’m not from a region where Fasnacht is celebrated so I don’t really know anything about the tradition other than: it exists and I’ve heard Ash Wednesday mentioned in connection with it.

2. Apparently it was introduced into the Swedish church in 1983 after having been removed during the reformation but honestly this is the first time I’ve heard of it. It’s not something we Swedes celebrate like at all. I doubt most people even know of it.

3. I’m not sure that Ash Wednesday is actually’celebrated’.But people know when and what it is.

   Some people go to church, where the priest applies ashes to their forehead.

   The same people (and maybe others too) start their’Lent’ period then,by renouncing something they like.. for example sugar, coffee or alcohol, until Easter.

   It’s not the day when you use up what is left and eat a lot… that is Mardi Gras, the day before!

   Ash Wednesday and Lent in general are not observed by most Italians any more.

4. Considering the first Carnival was celebrated with dancing Walzer and Polka, in 1840 I guess the influence of Europe was heavy.

   So, yes Aschermittwoch is still the end of Karneval in Germany, especially at the cities of the middle and lower Rhine.

5. In Catholic tradition, Carnaval/Fasnacht is celebrated on Fat Tuesday. You’ll find in several places with a history of Catholic traditions: Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, some places in Germany, some cantons in Switzerland, The Netherlands, etc.

   In some places it’s a big, exhuberant celebration. Think Carnaval in Brazil, or Mardi Gras in New Orleans. For kids, it’s kind of like Halloween in the US. Many places in Europe, however, also have elements in Carnaval that were “borrowed” from pre-Christian traditions.

   Ash Wednesday, on the other hand, is usually only really celebrated by those who take their religion seriously. Not just Catholics, but several other Christian denominations. There’s a special mass (where they receive a cross painted with ashes on their forehead), and it marks the start of Lent, a period of 40 days dedicated to solemn reflexion and sacrifice.

   Edit: the Lent calendar goes like this:

   Fat Tuesday – celebrations, last days of crazy before Lent

   Ash Wednesday – start of Lent, repentance and reflection

   Lent – 40 days of reflexion, sacrifice, and alms giving. Representing the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting in the desert

   Then it ends with the Holy Week, which culminates with Easter Sunday (then there’s a whole other calendar related to Easter celebrations).

6. I am not religious, but Ireland is a very Catholic country. The schools are run by the Catholic Church. All the young children would know when it is, and the priest might come to the school to give them their ashes or they might even go to mass with the school (and supposedly Ireland is a secular country).

   For young adults it’s not that big of a thing. The older people are the more common it is to celebrate. I work in a restaurant and on that day maybe about 25% of the people have ashes on their forehead.

7. >But I’ve never really heard of it outside of Carnival in Brazil.

   Even in Brazil you don’t really celebrate ash wednesday.

   It is a very religious event, that is observed by more serious Christians.

   While Brazil has 60% Catholics on paper, a lot will not go to most church events.

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   This was different in e.g. the 50s and 60s where social pressure to attend those church events was bigger.