BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) –

It is Ash Wednesday, beginning of the 40-day Lenten season.

Many folks will begin their day with an Ash Wednesday mass. The first one at St. Aloysius started at 6 a.m.

Now that Carnival has ended, the holy and sacred period leading up to Easter is underway for Christians all around the world. The crosses of ash believers will receive throughout the day symbolize penance.

The next 40 days of fasting and prayer symbolize the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert before starting his ministry.

There will also be mobile ash distribution sites around downtown Baton Rouge. Those will be provided by First United Methodists Church.

There will be public offerings from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. You can stop by Main Street Market (5th Street and Main Street), North Boulevard Town Square (North Boulevard and 3rd Street), Christ in the City (320 3rd Street) and One Stop Homeless Services Center (153 North 17th Street).Copyright 2016 WAFB. All rights reserved.