When I lived in Canada, no one ever commented on ashes on my forehead on Ash Wednesday. I don't know if it is because more than 40% of the population is Roman Catholic (vs less than 25% of Americans) or if people just knew what it was about.
After a six year hiatus, I returned to the Church 1.5 years ago and this is the second Ash Wednesday where people have come up to me and told me that I had black smudges on my forehead. Last year, my friend even reached over to rub it off! I didn't have that same reaction in Minneapolis but then I would usually go to an evening service and then go directly home (although come to think of it I do remember getting a funny look from the cashier at the grocery store one year).
Anyway, for any non-Catholics out there, if you see someone with a smudge of black ash on their foreheads today, you can be sure that they do indeed know that it is there. And they do not need you to rub it off for them.
Thankyouverymuch.
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