On March 6, 2019, Kenyan Catholics observed Ash Wednesday with church services marking the start of the 40-day Lenten period, a time of penance and spiritual reflection.
Archbishop John Njue, leader of the Catholic Church in Kenya, announced the 2019 Lenten theme as 'Uniting, healing and renewal of our nation,' emphasizing communal reconciliation and national progress during the religious observance.
The Lenten season, observed by Catholics and other Christian denominations worldwide, includes rituals such as the imposition of ashes on followers' foreheads. These practices symbolize repentance and the beginning of a period of fasting and prayer.
Services at Nairobi's Holy Family Basilica included traditional ceremonies, with photographs capturing congregants participating in the ash-ritual. The Lenten period culminates in Easter celebrations, which commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ after the 40-day fast.
