Ash Wednesday is observed by Western Christianity.[122] Roman Rite Roman Catholics observe it,[note 1] along with certain Protestants like Lutherans, Anglicans,[122] some Reformed churches,[125] some Baptists,[126] Nazarenes,[127] Methodists,[128] Evangelicals,[129] and Mennonites.[130][131] The Moravian Church[132][133] Wesleyan Church[134] and Metropolitan Community Churches observe Ash Wednesday.[135] Churches in the United Protestant tradition, such as the Church of North India and United Church of Canada honour Ash Wednesday too.[136] Some Independent Catholics,[137][138] and the Community of Christ also observe it.[139]
The Eastern Orthodox Church does not, in general, observe Ash Wednesday; instead, Orthodox Great Lent begins on Clean Monday.[96] There are, however, a relatively small number of Orthodox Christians who follow the Western Rite; these do observe Ash Wednesday, although often on a different day from the previously mentioned denominations, as its date is determined from the Orthodox calculation of Pascha, which may be as much as a month later than the Western observance of Easter.
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