Many Christians observe Lent, a period of 40 days dedicated to reflection and self-discipline. If you're planning to participate, here's when Lent begins.

Each year, many Christians observe Lent, a 40-day period of reflection and self-discipline that precedes Easter Sunday. The dates of the observation change year over year, depending on when Easter falls.

If you're observing lent in 2025, you may be wondering when the six-week period ends. Find out dates for Lent, Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, a day in which many Christians attend a church service and receive ashes in the shape of a cross on their foreheads. The gesture dates back thousands of years to the Old Testament, where displaying ashes served as a sign of someone's humility before God, as well as a symbol of repentance.