By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - They walked out with black crosses on the foreheads.
Many people in the Niles area attended services Wednesday marking a very important day in the church year.
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent. The period of 40 days before Easter does not include Sundays.
At St. Mary's Catholic Church in Niles the noon Ash Wednesday service pews were filled with members of the congregation.
Students from St. Mary's School helped lead the parishioners to the front of the church to receive ashes in the form of a cross on their forehead.
The altar area of the church was decorated with several small barren trees. Father Carl Peltz said that the liturgy committee helps him to create the appropriate seasonal environment at the church. "The right atmosphere helps to remind us of what Jesus did for us, and what we are at church for during this time." said Peltz.
Not only the Catholics remember this first day of Lent with ashes.
At Trinity Episcopal Church during this time of year things are toned down. No alleluias are said during the lenten season and there are no real vibrant flower arrangements, just dried ones.
To go along with the Lenten season, Trinity Episcopal Church is having a Lenten study group on Sunday nights at 6 p.m. They will be having soup and bread while studying the gospel of Matthew.