Whether you see pączki on the grocery store shelves or cars lining up for church services or fish fries, the season of Lent and Easter is deeply embedded into the culture of the Fox Cities.
Even though that largely comes from a long history of the Catholic church here, you don’t have to be Catholic to enjoy a good pączki or some beer-battered walleye. Still, if you’d like to be in the know about when, exactly, to get a filled donut or ham dinner, here are a few answers to some common questions about this season.
When is Ash Wednesday, Holy Week and Easter in 2025?
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday — this year on March 5 — and ends, depending on the denomination, with either Good Friday, which falls this year on April 18, or Holy Saturday on April 19.
Holy Week, or the week believed to lead to Jesus’ death, begins with Palm Sunday on April 13, continues with Maundy Thursday on April 17 and ends with Good Friday on April 18. Easter is April 20.
What traditions do Appleton churches observe on Ash Wednesday and during Lent?
In Catholic churches, parishioners may choose to come forward during Ash Wednesday mass and receive ashes sprinkled over their heads or marked on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. Fr. Bill Swichtenberg said at his parish, St. Mary Catholic Community, 312 S. State St., Appleton, mass attendants have the words “You are dust and to dust you will return,” spoken over them when the ashes are applied.
The ashes are meant to be a sign of repentance “and a reminder of our own mortality,” said St. Bernard Catholic Parish’s liturgy and music director, Sherry Zwicky.
Catholics are also commanded to abstain from meat on that day, too. Some people may also choose to give up something for Lent in order to make more room for spiritual life and practice.
“It’s deeper than abstaining from ice cream,” said Swichtenberg.
“The thought there is that I have time and effort to devote to deepen spiritual practice through prayer, meditation and Scripture reading,” Zwicky said.
After Ash Wednesday, Swichtenberg said Catholics observe Lent through prayer, alms and fasting. But, most importantly, Lent is a time of “renewed friendship with the Lord and connection” with others.
Several non-Catholic or Protestant Christian denominations, such as the members of First United Methodist Church, 325 E. Franklin St., Appleton, also do the “anointing with ashes,” as the Rev. Markus Wegenast calls it.
Wegenast said he and the congregation’s children “take the branches from last Palm Sunday, burn them in the courtyard and sieve (the ashes) through to make sure they’re pure” before using them in the service. Swichtenberg said his parish follows a similar practice.
And, while non-Catholic denominations generally are “not as strict” about fasting or giving up something for Lent, Wegenast said he encourages his congregation to consider ways to grow their spiritual practice during Lent and “(bring) them closer to God.”
Why is the day before Ash Wednesday called ‘Fat Tuesday’?
Paczki come out of the fryer at Simple Simon bakery on Feb. 1, 2024, in Appleton.
Fat Tuesday, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras, is traditionally a time when Catholics indulge in rich, fatty foods before fasting and penance for Lent. What that rich food is depends on the culture, but it includes pancakes, Polish pączki and New Orleans king cakes.
Incidentally, since Catholics aged 16 to 55 are encouraged to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent, that’s part of the origin of the classic Wisconsin Friday fish fry.
Why is Easter so late in 2025?
Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox Christians will celebrate Easter this year on April 20. But Easter can be as early as March 22 and as late as April 25. Why does the date move around so much?
Easter is observed on the first Sunday that follows the first full moon after the vernal equinox, or the first day or spring.
Because the days before Jesus’ death are said to happen during the Passover season, the dates for Easter are determined based on the Jewish calendar, or a lunar cycle of 29.5 days, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
As a result, the date for Easter moves around based on the Paschal full moon, or the 14th day in a lunar month after March 21 “according to a fixed set of ecclesiastical calendar rules,” the almanac says.
Rebecca Loroff is a K-12 education reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. She welcomes story tips and feedback. Contact her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: When is Easter? Appleton clergy answer questions about Lent, Easter
