WORCESTER, Mass. - Churches across Worcester are holding masses and services today for Ash Wednesday.

At Christ the King Catholic Church, there's six masses alone. Monsignor Thomas Sullivan said Ash Wednesday is a special day for the church, as it marks the start of lent.

During this season, Christians emphasize the need for prayer, fasting and giving back to the poor. At masses and services Wednesday, parishioners are given ashes on their forehead.

"The ashes really are a sign of death, the death of our sin," Sullivan said. "We're reminded our life is finite. We will all die, but we also need to die to our sin, those things that we do that are wrong and hurt other people."

Christ the King expects more than 700 parishioners to attend mass by the end of the day.