More than half of San Antonio is preparing for the start of Lent this week with Ash Wednesday — the day many Christians receive ashes in the shape of a cross on their foreheads.

Pope Leo XIV has opened the church’s penitential Lenten season by presiding over Ash Wednesday.

Wednesday is the first day of Lent, and many Christians will observe the day by going to Mass to be blessed with ashes.

The Vatican says that Pope Francis has canceled an audience as a precaution after coming down with mild flu.

Feb. 14 is a holiday heavyweight this year due to a calendar collision.

Fish Fridays are returning to Bill Miller Bar-B-Q for a limited time.

Many Christians across the globe will participate in Ash Wednesday this week. But what is Ash Wednesday, and what does it represent?

He went on to say that by the end of July his administration can deliver 600 million doses for Americans. But “it's one thing to have a vaccine available, the problem was how to get to people's arms.”The Pfizer plant Biden toured, near Kalamazoo, produces one of the two federally approved COVID-19 shots. "I would’ve gotten there some way.”AdWhite House adviser Slavitt said the 6 million doses delayed won’t spoil and the vaccine is “safe and sound” under refrigeration. Slavitt said about 1.4 million doses were being shipped Friday as the work of clearing the backlog begins. The Virginia Department of Health reported that it was expecting delays on about 90% of its expected 120,000 doses this week and warned that delays could cascade into next week.

SAN ANTONIO – Due to the ongoing winter storm, San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller has granted Catholics a dispensation from fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and says ashes will be allowed to be given at the end of masses through the weekend if parishioners don’t receive them Wednesday. Archdiocese officials said that many churches in the area are canceling or reducing the number of services due to the winter storm. The archdiocese said to check in with local leaders and monitor social media for Mass times. Archdiocesan statement regarding Ash Wednesday Lent begins tomorrow, February 17, with Ash Wednesday. You can get the very latest forecast anytime by bookmarking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority App - available for both Apple and Android devices.

SAN ANTONIO – The distribution of ashes will be different this Ash Wednesday in San Antonio Archdiocese churches due to COVID-19. Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller is directing all parishes in the archdiocese to follow the new guidelines this year, as per Pope Francis. Sprinkling ashes on the top of people’s heads, rather than marking foreheads with ashes, is the customary practice at the Vatican and in Italy. Due to the pandemic, parishioners are asked to check with their churches for a schedule of services, as it may be different from previous years. Ash Wednesday will be marked on Feb. 17 and is the start of the Lenten season that leads to Easter Sunday.