A time of reflection, personal promises, and faith begins. Catholics attend churches early in the morning to receive the imposition of ashes, a date that marks the beginning of Lent. For many believers, it is a reminder that life is transient and it is time to do better. Thus, while Carnival stages and structures are being dismantled, churches fill up. Lent begins, the 40 days of reflection that mark the path toward Holy Week. For many, it is the brake after the chaos, the moment to slow down and look inward. It is called Ash Wednesday because during the mass, the priest places ash on the foreheads of the faithful in the shape of a cross, while recalling a direct and powerful phrase: 'You are dust and to dust you shall return' or 'Repent and believe in the Gospel.' The ash comes from the burning of the blessed palms from the previous Palm Sunday. From early morning, hundreds of Panamanians arrived at churches such as the Minor Basilica Don Bosco, where the first mass of Lent was celebrated. The temple received hundreds of faithful who attended the traditional imposition of ash on the forehead. The music went silent, and many changed the chaos for quiet reflection. It symbolizes humility, repentance, and the commitment to change what is wrong. The party is over.
