February 18, 2026, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, marked the beginning of Lent for the Diocese of Jerusalem by celebrating Ash Wednesday Mass at the Pro-Cathedral of the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem.

The Mass was attended by employees of the Latin Patriarchate, members of CCAO organizations, and local faithful. Concelebrating were Msgr. Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, Vicar General Emeritus; Fr. Piotr Zelasko, Vicar of the St. James Vicariate; and several priests.

A call to rediscover the true treasure

In his homily, Cardinal Pizzaballa invited the faithful to embrace the season of Lent as a journey of seeking the true treasure of life: the presence of God.

Reflecting on the two sentences pronounced during the imposition of ashes on the faithful - “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” and “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” - the Patriarch emphasized that the two are inseparable. Explaining that repentance is an authentic inward journey in search of the face of God dwelling within.

Drawing from the readings, he reminded the faithful that Jesus calls for fasting, prayer, and almsgiving not as outward displays, but as sincere and interior acts. “Traditional Lenten practices are not mere obligations, but paths that lead us toward that encounter,” he said, stressing the importance of remembering those in need and returning to familiarity with the Word of God.

Cleansing the dust from our hearts

Affirming that all are sinners and conscious of our inner poverty, Cardinal Pizzaballa explained that prayer, fasting, charity, and the Sacrament of confession are the means by which we not only recognize that we are of dust but purify the dust off our hearts and lives.

“We cannot find the face of God,” he said, “without first recognizing that we are dust not only because we were created from dust, but because our hearts are often covered in it.” True purification, he explained, comes only through turning to God’s mercy and acknowledging our need for conversion: Even small steps taken toward God can transform our lives, he affirmed.

A sign of belonging

Concluding his homily, he invited the faithful to let this sign of the Cross made with ashes lead them to approach God with humility:

“May this sign of the Cross remind us to whom we belong, to the God of mercy and forgiveness, to whom we confess our sins and from whom we desire to receive pardon”.