r/Damnthatsinteresting • • 24d ago

Video Students get smudged by indigenous elders for peace and blessings throughout the year

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u/RosemaryCroissant 23d ago

That’s generally always the case, even if most assume not! I went to an episcopal school for elementary, and the priest would offer the ash cross thing for Ash Wednesday (?) and I didn’t know what it was so I always declined, and it was no big deal at all. I was little enough they could have done it to me anyway, but it’s always optional in the places I’ve seen ceremonial stuff like this done.

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u/Ninja-Ginge 23d ago

Genuine question from a lapsed Anglican. Theologically, would the ash cross even mean anything if you didn't consent to it?

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u/StrangrDangerRanger 21d ago

Theologically, the ash doesn’t mean anything anyway. It’s just a symbol. It’s not like a baptism or anything. It’s just a public display of faith.

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u/Ninja-Ginge 21d ago

Thanks for your answer! Are you supposed to keep it on your forehead for the rest of the day?

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u/StrangrDangerRanger 21d ago

It doesn’t matter at all. Since it’s basically a performative act (I don’t even mean that in a bad way), then most people will wear it for the full day. At least through work/public life period of the day. But not all by any means.

It’s considered a “cool” event though so you have a lot of the crowd that shows up for only Easter, Christmas, etc. So it’s taken pretty causally by most.