Lent 2017 started on Wednesday, March 1 and will end on Thursday, April 13th Ash Wednesday is one of the most popular and important holy days in the liturgical calendar. Ash Wednesday opens Lent, a season of fasting and prayer. Ashes on forehand Ash Wednesday takes place 46 days before Easter Sunday, (40 fasting days, if the six Sundays, which are not days of fast, are excluded) and is chiefly observed by Catholics, although many other Christians observe it too.