Thousands flock to church, marking the start of Lent

(25 Feb 2009) 1. Exterior of church 2. Mid of people lining up to receive ash on their foreheads 3. Close of woman receiving ash 4. Pan of people queuing to receive ash 5. Wide of church interior 6. Priest leading Mass 7. Worshippers singing 8. Close of hands together in prayer 9. Mid of priest during offering 10. Set up shot of Catholic priest, Frank Pidgeon, blessing churchgoers 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Frank Pidgeon, Catholic priest from South Africa: "You will see the people here, they have this cross on their forehead. That is a sign of penance and sacrifice." 12. Wide of people queuing to receive ash 13. SOUNDBITE (Tagalog) Norma Pinosa, Catholic devotee "By tradition, it has been part of our devotion as Catholics during the season of Lent." 14. Tight of candles 15. Mid of people lighting candles and praying 16. Tight of statue of Jesus Christ 17. Mid of woman with ash on her forehead praying STORYLINE: Thousands of Filipino Catholics flocked to churches on Wednesday to observe the holy day of Ash Wednesday. In scenes repeated across the country, hundreds lined up outside a church in the capital Manila to have the cross marked on their foreheads with ash. The ash is made from burnt palm fronds used in the previous year's Palm Sunday event. Ash Wednesday is observed by fasting, abstinence from meat and repentance. It signifies the beginning of the Lenten Season, culminating on Easter Sunday when the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is remembered. The Philippines is still a predominantly Christian nation with about 80 percent of worshippers belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...