Vice President J.D. Vance participated in the rituals of Ash Wednesday as he and other members of the Trump administration observed the occasion that kicks off the season of prayer and fasting leading up to the major Christian holiday of Easter.
Video footage published by C-SPAN Wednesday shows Vance, a practicing Catholic, receiving ashes on his forehead from a Catholic priest before departing Texas Wednesday. Vance had visited the border town of Eagle Pass alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to examine the effects of the Trump administration’s policies to curb illegal immigration into the United States from its southern border with Mexico.
Vance wasn’t the only member of the Trump administration to observe Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Christian season of Lent. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump published a joint message to mark the occasion.
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“This Ash Wednesday, we join in prayer with the tens of millions of American Catholics and other Christians beginning the holy season of Lent — a time of spiritual anticipation of the passion, death, and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” they stated. “During the Lenten season, Christians spend 40 days and 40 nights praying, fasting, and giving alms to deepen our faith and strengthen our belief in the Gospel.”
The president and first lady’s message also acknowledged how, on Ash Wednesday, “followers of Christ wear crosses of ash on their foreheads” as “a sacred reminder of our mortality.” They also issued a call to action for Christians: “As we solemnly contemplate Jesus Christ’s suffering and death on the cross this Lent, let us prepare our souls for the coming glory of the Easter miracle.”
“We offer you our best wishes for a prayerful and enriching Lenten season,” the message concluded. “May almighty God bless you, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.”
While Vance and the Trumps have fully embraced Lent, a recently released poll from Lifeway Research found that 74% of the 1,200 Americans surveyed from Aug. 14-30 did not plan on observing the season. Subgroups with the highest share of respondents intending to participate were Catholics (58%) and Hispanics (36%).
The survey also found that among those who do observe Lent, 50% “fast from a favorite food or beverage” as their Lenten sacrifice, while 37% seek to “fast from a bad habit” and 25% work to “fast from a favorite activity.” In an effort to grow stronger in faith, 34% of respondents who observe Lent engage in additional prayer, while 22% “read Lenten Bible verses or devotions.”
Lent will conclude on Easter Sunday, which is celebrated on April 20 this year. On Easter, Christians will celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the dead.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
