Which Christian holy day comes immediately after Mardi Gras?

The Christian holy day immediately after Mardi Gras is Ash Wednesday.

Mardi Gras, also called Shrove Tuesday, is the final day before Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season traditionally devoted to fasting, prayer, repentance and preparation for Easter in Western Christianity. Because the date of Easter changes each year, the date of Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday changes as well.

The name Ash Wednesday comes from the ashes traditionally placed on worshippers’ foreheads in the shape of a cross. In many churches, the ashes are made from palm branches blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday. They symbolize mortality and repentance; ministers may accompany them with a reminder that humans come from dust and return to dust.

A common mistake is to place Good Friday directly after Mardi Gras. Good Friday comes much later, during Holy Week, commemorating Jesus’ crucifixion. Ash Wednesday begins the intervening Lenten period, which traditionally lasts about 40 days, excluding Sundays in many Western observances.