Who may bless and distribute ashes on Ash Wednesday?
Lay people may assist a priest or deacon in distributing ashes, but only a priest or deacon can bless the ashes. There is an important distinction to be made between blessing ashes and distributing them. The blessing of ashes takes place before the distribution. The distribution, which entails the placement of the ashes on a persons forehead, is itself not a blessing, even though ordained or lay ministers typically make the sign of the cross. The faithful receive a blessing from the reception of the blessed ashes, but the distributor does not himself perform a blessing in the distribution process. This is why, unlike with blessings in the Churchs Book of Blessings, there is no prayer of blessing in the distribution of the ashes, only words to say when distributing the ashes. The Church clearly provides that lay people may participate in the distribution of ashes: The rite may be celebrated by a priest or deacon who may be assisted by lay ministers in the distribution of the ashes. The
