Ash Wednesday 2015: History, Dates, Traditions Of

Lent's First Day Of Fasting

Ash Wednesday is observed on February 18, 2015. The Christian holy day marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day season of fasting that is considered preparation for Holy Week and the celebration of Easter.

Although there is no Biblical reference to Ash Wednesday or Lent, scholars of Christianity date the tradition of a 40-day fasting period back to 325 A.D.

Lent mirrors Jesus’ own 40-day period of fasting, described in the book of Matthew. Observers have ash placed on their foreheads in the shape of the cross as the words from Genesis 3:19 are spoken: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Fasting requirements for Catholics are outlined by the Code of Canon Law, and include eating no meat on the Fridays during Lent, as well as fasting on Ash

Wednesday and Good Friday. (Fasting in this case refers to eating just one full meal a day.)

Many Christians will make personal vows of abstinence during Lent, which could include anything from refraining from eating candy, meat, vowing not to gossip, or being less selfish. Others will make a vow to do more for others including

volunteering and working for social justice. All are expected to spend more time in prayer and reflection as Lent is considered by many to be an opportunity for spiritual transformation.

The Catholic nun Sister Joan Chittister writes:

Lent is the opportunity to change what we ought to change but have not...Lent is about becoming, doing and changing whatever it is that is blocking the fullness of life in us right now... Lent is a summons to live anew...Lent is the time to let life in again, to rebuild the worlds we've allowed to go sterile, to "fast and weep and mourn" for the goods we've foregone. If our own lives are not to die from lack of nourishment, we must sacrifice the pride or the sloth or the listlessness that blocks us from

beginning again. Then, as Joel (2:12-18) promises, God will have pity on us and pour into our hearts the life we know down deep that we are lacking.

 

第二篇：时政新闻 20xx.5.4

近日，国家旅游局发布了《旅行社行前说明服务规范》和《导游领队引导文明旅游规范》，两项旅游业行业标准将于5月1日起实施。新规范明确指出，导游、领队有权通过旅行社向相关主管部门举报游客不文明行为。

记者昨天从国家旅游局了解到，国家旅游局已发布《旅行社行前说明服务规范》《导游领队引导文明旅游规范》两项旅游业行业标准，并将于5月1日起实施。在指导游客文明出游方面明确指出，导游、领队将有权通过旅行社向相关主管部门举报游客不文明行为。

意大利20xx年米兰世界博览会(EXPO 2015)，第42届世界博览会，于20xx年5月1日至10月31日期间，在意大利米兰市举行。本届世界博览会由米兰市政府、伦巴第大区政府、米兰博览会基金会以及米兰工商会等单位协办。

20xx年10月22日，米兰世博会的中国路演在北京地标性建筑王府井百货大楼前拉开帷幕[1]。北京路演后，米兰世博会先后在长沙、福州、广州、重庆、郑州、济南、上海等地举办路演。

“给养地球：生命的能源”是米兰市申办20xx年世博会的主题，这是世博会史上首次以食物为主题，将展出来自不同国家的美食，并谋求20xx年为全球多达90亿人口解决食物需要。[2]

刚刚开幕几个小时的2015米兰世博会就遭遇不测：数万名意大利人走上街头抗议世博会并演变成了相当规模的暴力冲突甚至骚乱。在“不要世博，要吃饱和富裕”的口号下，抗议者焚烧了不少沿街车辆，闯入银行、商店，并与防暴警察发生激烈冲突。

米兰世博会展期今年5月1日正式开幕，是继20xx年上海世博会之后的综合型国际博览会，有148个国家和国际组织参展。本届世博会的主题为“滋养地球，生命能源”，聚焦农业与食品议题。本届世博会还下设七大副主题，分别是食品与粮食供应、农业与生物多样性、食品供应链、餐食教育、食品与生活、食品与文化、食品的合作发展等，旨在探寻为全球提供充足、优质、健康和可持续发展的食品保障，寻找合理利用资源、保护环境、滋养人类、反哺地球的有效途径，在人类与自然发展中寻找平衡。意大利总理伦齐在当天的世博会开幕式上发表讲话，表示希望世博会能够振兴意大利的未来发展。

不过反对举办世博会的人士认为，举办这类大型活动是浪费纳税人的血汗。反世博会运动发言人吕卡向媒体表示，在20xx年11月1日世博会闭幕的第一天，人们才会清晰地意识到意大利比办世博会之前更加贫穷了。

此前，米兰警方在极右势力和无政府分子聚集的地方临时拘捕了一些人。警方还查收了炮竹、防催泪弹面具及一些制造燃烧瓶所需的原材料。反世博会组织发言人表示，政府以治安议题来混淆视听，其目的在于转移视线。混乱是政府利用媒体制造的谎言。