Ash Wednesday Masses by Parish

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a period of spiritual renewal which helps us prepare for the celebration of the paschal mystery of Christ, his passion, death and resurrection.

The ashes we receive on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday are both a reminder of our earthly mortality and a call to repentance. The ashes are made by burning the palms that were distributed the previous year on Palm Sunday. The ashes are blessed by the priest, who then dips his thumb in them and makes the Sign of the Cross on each person’s forehead, while saying these words: “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19) or "Repent and believe in the Gospel." 

Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and a day of abstinence from meat. Fasting applies to Catholics between the ages of 18 and 60 and means you should only eat one full meal and two smaller meals if needed. All Catholics age 14 and above should abstain from eating meat on the day,

Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, but Catholics are encouraged to attend Mass to begin their Lenten journey. All Mass times below are for Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The distribution of ashes takes place at all Masses.

A special collection taken up in all churches on Ash Wednesday will jointly benefit the Church in Central and Eastern Europe and the Solidarity Fund for Africa. The collection supports pastoral, educational and construction projects in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which were formerly under Soviet control.  It also supports projects that benefit family life, women, and children in Africa.

Ash Wednesday Masses and Distribution of Ashes

Find a listing by parish below. Find a listing here by city/town.

All Saints Parish, Brunswick

Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, 82 Atlantic Avenue, Boothbay Harbor - Mass at noon

St. Charles Borromeo Church, 132 McKeen Street, Brunswick - Masses at noon and 6:30 p.m.

St. Ambrose Church, 29 Kimball Street, Richmond - Mass at 10 a.m.

St. John the Baptist Church, 39 Pleasant Street, Brunswick - Mass at 8 a.m.

St. Mary Church, 144 Lincoln Street, Bath - Masses at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

St. Patrick Church, 380 Academy Hill Road, Newcastle - Mass at 6 p.m.

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Portland

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress Street, Portland - Masses at 12:15 p.m. (Celebrated by Bishop James Ruggieri), 6 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.

Christ the Divine Mercy Parish, East Millinocket

St. Martin of Tours Church, 19 Colby Street, Millinocket - Mass at 4:30 p.m.

St. Peter Church, 58 Cedar Street, East Millinocket - Mass at 9 a.m.

Christ the King Parish, Skowhegan

Notre Dame de Lourdes Church, 273 Water Street, Skowhegan - Mass at Noon

St. Peter Church, 27 Owens Street, Bingham - Mass at 2:30 p.m.

St. Sebastian Church, 161 Main Street, Madison - Mass at 8 a.m.

Corpus Christi Parish, Winslow

Notre Dame du Perpetual Secours Church, 116 Silver Street, Waterville - Mass at 12:15 p.m.

St. John the Baptist Church, 26 Monument Street, Winslow - Distribution of ashes at 7 a.m., Masses with Ashes at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Holy Family Parish, Greenville

Holy Family Church, 145 Pritham Avenue, Greenville - Mass at Noon

Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Auburn

Sacred Heart Church, 8 Sacred Heart Place, Auburn - Masses at 7:45 a.m. and noon

St. Philip Church, 2365 Turner Road, Auburn - Mass at 6 p.m.

Our Lady of Hope Parish, Portland

St. Pius X Church, 492 Ocean Avenue, Portland - Mass with distribution of ashes at 9 a.m.; Liturgy of the Word with distribution of ashes at 12:10 p.m., and Mass with distribution of ashes at 6:30 p.m.

Parish of the Holy Eucharist, Falmouth

Holy Martyrs of North America Church, 266 Foreside Road, Falmouth - Mass at 5:30 p.m.

Sacred Heart Church, 326 Main Street, Yarmouth - Mass at 8 a.m. and Liturgy of the Word with distribution of ashes at 12:15 p.m.

St. Gregory the Great Church, 24 North Raymond Road, Gray - Mass at 8 a.m.

St. Jude Church, 134 Main Street, Freeport - Mass at 6 p.m.

Parish of the Holy Savior, Mexico

Our Lady of the Snows Church, 265 Walker's Mills Road (Route 26), Bethel - Mass at 9 a.m.

St. Athanasius & St. John Church, 126 Maine Avenue, Rumford - Mass at 6 p.m.

Parish of the Precious Blood, Caribou

Holy Rosary Church, 34 Vaughn Street, Caribou - Mass at 6 p.m.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 333 Main Street, Presque Isle - Mass at 6 p.m.

St. Catherine Church, 24 McManus Street, Washburn - Mass at 4 p.m.

St. Denis Church, 147 Main Street, Fort Fairfield - Mass at 8:30 a.m.

St. Joseph Church, 17 Main Street, Mars Hill - Mass at 4 p.m.

St. Mark Church, 13 Allen Farm Road, Ashland - Mass at 9 a.m.

Parish of the Resurrection of the Lord, Old Town

St. Ann Church, 6 Down Street, Penobscot Nation (Indian Island) - Mass and distribution of ashes at 7 a.m.

Holy Family Church, 429 Main Street, Old Town - Confessions from 7 to 7:45 a.m., followed by Mass and distribution of ashes at 8 a.m.

St. Ann Church, 84 Main Street, Bradley - Confessions fro 5 to 5:45 p.m., followed by Mass and distribution of ashes at 6 p.m.

University of Maine, Bangor Room of Memorial Union, Orono - Mass and distribution of ashes at noon.

Prince of Peace Parish, Lewiston

Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul, 122 Ash Street, Lewiston - Masses at 7 a.m. and noon. Traditional Latin Mass at 8:30 a.m.

Holy Family Church, 607 Sabattus Street, Lewiston - Masses at 4 p.m. and  6 p.m., and at 7:15 p.m. in Spanish

Holy Trinity Church, 67 Frost Hill Avenue, Lisbon Falls - Masses at 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Sacred Heart / St. Dominic Parish, Portland

Sacred Heart Church, 65 Mellen Street, Portland - Mass at 6 p.m. (English/French/Spanish)

St. Agnes Parish, Island Falls

St. Agnes Church, 76 Sewall Street, Island Falls - Mass at Noon

St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Jackman

St. Faustina Church, 370 Main Street, Jackman - Mass at 6 p.m.

St. Benedict Parish, Benedicta

St. Benedict Church, 1063 Benedicta Road, Benedicta - Mass at 6 p.m.

St. Brendan the Navigator Parish, Camden

Our Lady of Good Hope Church, 7 Union Street, Camden - Mass at 8 a.m.

St. Bernard Church, 150 Broadway, Rockland - Mass at 6:30 p.m.

St. Francis of Assisi Church, 81 Court Street, Belfast - Mass at 6:30 p.m.

St. Christopher Parish, Peaks Island

St. Christopher Church, 15 Central Avenue, Peaks Island - Mass at 11:15 a.m.

St. John Vianney Parish, Fort Kent

St. Charles Borromeo Church, 912 Main Street, St. Francis - Mass at 9 a.m.

St. Joseph Church, 7 Church Street, Wallagrass - Mass at 6 p.m.

St. Louis Church, 26 East Main Street, Fort Kent - Masses at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

St. Mary Church, 3451 Aroostook Road, Eagle Lake - Mass at 11 a.m.

St. Joseph Oratory, Portland

St. Joseph Oratory, 673 Stevens Avenue, Portland - Traditional Latin Mass at 6 p.m.

St. Joseph Parish, Bridgton

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 857 Main Street, Fryeburg - Mass at 6 p.m.

St. Joseph Church, 225 South High Street, Bridgton - Mass at 8:30 a.m.

St. Joseph Parish, Farmington

St. Joseph Church, 133 Middle Street, Farmington - Mass at 8:30 a.m. and distribution of ashes outside the church at 6 p.m.

St. Louis Parish, Portland

St. Louis Church, 279 Danforth Street, Portland - Mass at 6 p.m.

St. Mary of the Visitation Parish, Houlton

St. Mary of the Visitation Church, 110 Military Street, Houlton - Masses at 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.

St. Matthew Parish, Limerick

St. Matthew Church, 19 Dora Lane, Limerick - Masses with distribution of ashes at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.; Distribution of ashes only at noon.

St. Paul the Apostle Parish, Bangor

St. Gabriel Church, 435 South Main Street, Winterport - Mass at 4 p.m.

St. John Church, 217 York Street, Bangor - Mass at Noon

St. Joseph Church, 531 North Main Street, Brewer - Mass at 4 p.m.

St. Mary Church, 768 Ohio Street, Bangor - Masses at 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

St. Matthew Church, 70 Western Avenue, Hampden - Mass at 5:30 p.m.

St. Teresa Church, 425 South Main Street, Brewer - Mass at 6 p.m.

St. Peter Parish, Portland

St. Peter Church, 72 Federal Street, Portland - Mass at 7 a.m.

St. Peter the Fisherman Parish, Machias

Holy Name of Jesus Church, 8 Free Street, Machias - Masses at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Sacred Heart Church, 14 Hamilton Street, Lubec - Mass at 5 p.m.

St. Michael Church, 51 Elm Street, Cherryfield - Mass at 5 p.m.

St. Rose of Lima Parish, Jay

St. Rose of Lima Church, 1 Church Street, Jay - Masses at 12:15 p.m. and 6 p.m.

St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Norway

Our Lady of Ransom Church, 117 Elm Street, Mechanic Falls - Mass at 5:30 p.m.

St. Catherine of Sienna Church, 32 Paris Street, Norway - Mass at 8 a.m.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish, Sanford

Holy Family Church, 66 North Avenue, Sanford - Masses with distribution of ashes at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Distribution of Ashes only at noon.