The Newman Club, a Catholic/Christian community at SF State, celebrated the traditional Ash Wednesday services on campus.

Over 100 devotees, including students and some faculty members, were marked with ashes on their foreheads to begin Lent season, the holiest season of the Catholic church year.

“Today is the day of reconciliation, means to come back to God and find his forgiveness,” said Father Rick Van De Water, who presided over the Mass.

After Ash Wednesday, fasting, abstinence and recollection will follow in the next 40 days as part of the observance of the Lent season. It ends on Holy Week, with the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ, according to Father Labib Kobti from St. Thomas More Parish.

Ash Wednesday for devotees is the heart and mind preparation for Lent season.

“It is a wake up call,” said Gabriela Aguilar, 27, member of Newman Club campus ministry.

Sister Monica Cardona estimates that the Newman Club counts some 150 to 200 members from the campus.

“We help St. Thomas More Church trough Newman Club which has been in campus for about three years,” said Cardona.

“Fasting, praying and giving are the best ways to come back to God,” said Van De Water.

Penance for Catholic devotees is also an important part of the Lent season, and it goes from prayer to abstinence.

“I will pray for all the youth members of my church and I still need to think about any bad habit I need to avoid,” said Lizette Suarez, 19, a sophomore in communications.

Azadeh Motahari, 27, a second year graduate student of clinical psychology became Catholic last April after seeking a religious congregation at her own will.

"I will stop drinking alcohol as penance to become close to God and wait for his resurrection,” Motahari said.

In the Old Testament, ashes were signs of humility and mortality, and sins of sorrow and repentance for sin.

“Ash is an ancient tradition used as a sin to turn away from sins,” said Van De Water.

According to Pastor Labib Kobti, some tribes in Africa use ashes as a symbol of wrongdoing.

The practice of marking the forehead with ashes is common among Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Episcopalians. Some Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian congregations have also adopted it.

“Ashes represent our humanity, our life in earth is limited, remember that you are ash and to ash you shall return,” said Van De Water during the Mass celebration.