Cameroon: Today is Ash Wednesday

Catholic Christians in Cameroon join the rest of the world to begin Lent. Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The day will be marked by prayers and church services in churches in the country. Usually on Ash Wednesday services the priest lightly rubs the sign of the cross with ashes onto the forehead of worshipers saying "Dust thou art, and to dust thou wilt return". The beginning of the Lent does not only remind Christians of their death, but also marked for death. In Yaounde, nearly all catholic churches were busy preparing for the beginning of the lent. In some of the parishes, Christians were busy cleaning the churches and the premises to give a different look. One Christian, Martine B. at the Mvog Ada parish said he was set to begin lent. She said lent is a period when the Christians have an opportunity to come back to God. "During lent we come to church to beg for forgiveness from God and to turn away from the ways of the world," she said. Paul A. a choir master in one of the churches in Yaounde said he is preparing his group for rehearsals for today's service. "Songs for lent are special so we have to do some rehearsals," he said. Another Christian, Marie Thérèse said she was doing her shopping for certain items such as vegetables because as from today this perishable good will be more expensive. "Many Christians do not eat meat during lent and some even fast so vegetables will be more expensive during this period," she said. Not all Christian churches observe Ash Wednesday or Lent. Lent is mostly observed by the Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican denominations as well as Roman Catholics.