<P> In some of the low church traditions, other practices are sometimes added or substituted, as other ways of symbolizing the confession and penitence of the day . For example, in one common variation, small cards are distributed to the congregation on which people are invited to write a sin they wish to confess . These small cards are brought forth to the altar table where they are burned . </P> <P> In Victorian era, theatres refrained from presenting costumed shows on Ash Wednesday, so they provided other entertainment, as mandated by the Church of England (Anglican Church). Also, "in Iceland, on Ash Wednesday children pin small bags of ashes on the back of some unsuspecting person". </P> <P> Ashes were used in ancient times to express grief . When Tamar was raped by her half - brother, "she sprinkled ashes on her head, tore her robe, and with her face buried in her hands went away crying" (2 Samuel 13: 19). The gesture was also used to express sorrow for sins and faults . In Job 42: 3--6, Job says to God: "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee . Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes ." The prophet Jeremiah calls for repentance by saying: "O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth, roll in the ashes" (Jer 6: 26). The prophet Daniel recounted pleading to God: "I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes" (Daniel 9: 3). Just prior to the New Testament period, the rebels fighting for Jewish independence, the Maccabees, prepared for battle using ashes: "That day they fasted and wore sackcloth; they sprinkled ashes on their heads and tore their clothes" (1 Maccabees 3: 47; see also 4: 39). </P> <P> Examples of the practice among Jews are found in several other books of the Bible, including Numbers 19: 9, 19: 17, Jonah 3: 6, Book of Esther 4: 1, and Hebrews 9: 13 . Jesus is quoted as speaking of the practice in Matthew 11: 21 and Luke 10: 13: "If the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago (sitting) in sackcloth and ashes ." </P>

Why do we get ashes on ash wed