Ash Wednesday

[trof]

I've noticed that Vice President Biden had his ash mark on his forehead today. He is reported to be a devout Catholic.
His appeared to be a single, verticle smudge.
Most (I think?) are in the shape of the cross.
Miz t. attended Ash Wednesday services and she has a somewhat truncated cross.
She said maybe his horizontal cross stroke wore, or sweated, off.



Who decides this?
Is a single mark as 'good' as the cross mark"
If so, why.
If not, why not?

Or am I completely off base on this and they're all intended to be cross marks and some just don't last?

Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. In the liturgical practice of some churches, the ashes are mixed with the Oil of the Catechumens<1> (one of the sacred oils used to anoint those about to be baptized), though some churches use ordinary oil. This paste is used by the priest who presides at the service to make the sign of the cross, first upon his own forehead and then on each of those present who kneel before him at the altar rail. As he does so, he recites the words: "Remember (O man) that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday

[Lucian]

1. The cross on my forehead today...

was done in the blood of my enemies.

Am I going to hell?

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. Most of the time, it just ends up looking like a smudge

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. A lazy priest just does a smudge,

but a good priest makes the Sign of the Cross.

Maybe the smudge priests are worried about running out of ashes.

Either way, if your wife didn't get the Cross, she's doomed.

(OK, I made up that last part.)

[DarkTirade]

4. Everyone I saw with it today just had a smudge.

:shrug:

[trof]

5. I think they should just call it 'Smudgey Wensday'.

Next I'll adress the census of angels dancing on the head of a pin.

[Midlodemocrat]

6. It ends up looking like a smudge most of the time

because there are a lot of people who are getting ashes and a limited amount of time.

In all the years I have received Ashes, I think I got a 'cross' about 2-3 times.

Did you know that the ashes for Ash Wednesday come from the burning of the previous year's Palms from Palm Sunday? Kind of nice. A continuation from year to year.

[DeepBlueC]

7. if the priest marks a cross without lifting his thumb it will be a smudge

You can feel a cross applied but because it is made with a single stroke it generally looks like a smudge. Ash is not the most precise graphic medium. It doesn't matter.