Religious festival · Vatican City
18 February 2026
2026
18 February 2026
2027
10 February 2027
Where
Vatican City
What it is
The pope walks in procession from Sant'Anselmo to Santa Sabina on the Aventine for the imposition of ashes — an old Roman stational liturgy rather than a Vatican one, and much quieter than Easter.
Dates can shift by a day or two when a local council moves the programme to a weekend, so confirm with the town hall before booking non-refundable travel. Accommodation in Vatican City tends to sell out weeks ahead of the festival and prices rise sharply on the main night.
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Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, explained
The pope walks in procession from Sant'Anselmo to Santa Sabina on the Aventine for the imposition of ashes — an old Roman stational liturgy rather than a Vatican one, and much quieter than Easter. It's a religious event held in Vatican City.
Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent runs 18 February 2026 in Vatican City. Councils can move the exact days by a day or two to land on a weekend, so confirm with the town hall before booking non-refundable travel.
The provisional 2027 dates are 10 February 2027, in Vatican City.
Yes — like the great majority of Spanish town festivals, Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent is free and open-air; you only pay for food, drink and any seating the town sells for a parade or firework display.
Book a room in Vatican City itself as early as you can: accommodation for this kind of festival sells out weeks ahead and prices climb sharply for the main night. A base in Vatican City also means you're not relying on late transport home once the celebrations run past midnight.
Prompt pack
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Editorial summary produced with AI support and reviewed by a human editor. Facts are as reported by the sources linked in the text. Verify anything important before you act on it. Spotted an error? Use the contact form and we will correct it.
Last reviewed · 30 July 2026
Prices & times
All prices and times on this page are estimates and change often. They are a starting point from an independent editor, never official or guaranteed figures. Always check the final price and the opening hours with the official venue or operator before you book or travel.
Checked · 30 July 2026