Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season, a 40-day period during which Catholics fast and repent for their sins in solemn anticipation of Easter.
Social media savvy priests and believers are observing the holiday by posting “ashtags”—selfies with the day’s ceremonial ashes painted on their foreheads.
A new tradition in the history of Christianity, the #ashtag has gotten mixed reception, especially on Twitter.
Many Catholics view the gesture as a way to share with others their faith in a more contemporary way.
Some view the ashes as a public symbol or acknowledgment of their sins, not of their piety or "holier than thou" attitude.
In contrast, others see the selfies as in conflict with the traditional Christian ideal of humility.
The trend appears to have emerged in good fun, a way to show others that Catholics aren’t as "wound tight" as many seem to suggest. Still, the argument involving humility and self-denial bears its own truths as well.
What side are you on in the #ashtag debate?