Bale/ouri: The Catholic community of Ouri begins Lent with an Ash Wednesday Mass under the sign of faith and charity. The Christian community of Ouri began the Christian Lent on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, with an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Mary Mother Parish in Ouri.

According to Burkina Information Agency, during the homily, blessed ashes were applied to the foreheads of all the faithful, as is the Christian tradition. This Mass, known as Ash Wednesday, allowed the parish priest, Father No«l Baya, to remind everyone of the meaning of fasting and the behavior Christians should adopt during this period of spiritual purification.

On this occasion, Father Baya explained to the congregation that the Christian Lent commemorates the 40-year journey of the Israelites to the Promised Land, known as "the crossing of the desert," and that this is linked to the 40 days Jesus Christ spent in the desert in direct contact with God, fasting and depriving himself before beginning his ministry. The ashes on their foreheads serve as a reminder that they are dust and to dust they shall return.

To this end, he invited Christians to abstain from their favorite things, to intensify their prayer life, and to strive to make their spirit stronger than their body during this time of fasting in order to draw closer to God.

The church leader also emphasized that Christians should demonstrate charity by helping the vulnerable and showing unwavering love for others both during and after this period of penance.

To conclude his homily, he wished his Muslim brothers a peaceful month of Ramadan fasting and urged his followers to increase their prayers for a return of peace to our country. "I pray to the Almighty that our combined prayers obtain his mercy so that our dear homeland may regain security," he added.

This celebration was attended by many faithful who came to mark the beginning of this fast scheduled to end with Good Friday and Easter.