Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, an important time for Christians leading up to Easter. Here's what to know.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the 40-day period in which Christians worldwide observe a period of reflection, prayer and penance. Lent ends with Holy Week and Easter Sunday, an important day in the Christian calendar that honors the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion on the cross, per BBC.

As spring moves into sight, the Christian Easter season is getting closer, and that starts with Ash Wednesday. However, this year's Easter season starts much later than usual. While Ash Wednesday frequently falls in February,