Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, a day in which many Christians attend a church service and receive ashes in the shape of a cross on their foreheads. The gesture dates back thousands of years to the Old Testament, where displaying ashes served as a sign of someone's humility before God, as well as a symbol of repentance.

Beginning March 4, many Americans will find themselves busy with Easter season and its holidays. Here are the key dates to remember, and what they mean