It's Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent for Catholics around the world. It's also the first time an American Pope marked the holy day.
WATCH: Catholics observe Ash Wednesday with first American Pope Leo
In his first Lenten message, Pope Leo called on Christians to embrace listening, fasting, and community.
In downtown Baltimore, Archbishop William Lori celebrated Mass and received ashes with congregants at the Baltimore Basilica. During church services, parishioners receive crosses of ash on their foreheads.
"I think it's a day when many of us find renewed joy and peace in the Lord so it's an important day we receive ashes on our forehead to remind us of our mortality and the shortness of our life and the urgency with which we ought to be responding to the Lord's invitation of love," Lori said.
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