St. Theodore Catholic Church in Albert Lea had its evening Ash Wednesday service to mark the start of the Lenten season. - Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

In the Catholic faith, the ashes marked in a cross on people's foreheads is meant to symbolize the dust from which God made his followers. - Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

The Rev. Kurt Farrell places ashes on parishioners' foreheads during an evening Ash Wednesday mass at St. Theodore Catholic Church. - Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune