Ashes and crowds...

...at St Patrick's Soho Square. I was there to give a lecture at the St Patrick's Evangelisation School and stayed on to recieve ashes at the midday Mass. Large numbers of people came streaming steadily into the church - by the time Mass was under way the place was full, and it was rather haunting to see everyone filing up the aisle silently and to hear Fr Alexander's voice to each one as he distributed the blessed ashes on foreheads. A server stood alongside him, having to replenish the dish of ashes as they got used up. And immediately after that Mass was over, people were pouring in again and Fr A. began to celebrate the next one. More crowds.

I ate a frugal Lenten lunch (mashed potato and baked peppers, since you ask) with the SPES students and various members of the parish team - and then spent the afternoon at home working on my current book project. Have just had a how's-it-going? chivvy from the publisher but am not so far panicking as I think we'll be on schedule...

Found these pix of Ash Wednesday scenes from around the world...