White House holds Ash Wednesday Mass for staff
An Ash Wednesday Mass was reportedly held in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Office Building, adjacent to the White House on March 5, 2025. / Credit: Another Believer|Wikimedia Commons|CC BY-SA 3.0 Washington D.C., Mar 5, 2025 / 18:36 pm (CNA).
A Catholic Mass was reportedly celebrated for the staff at the White House today in observance of Ash Wednesday.
An email from the White House Management Office informed staff that the Mass would take place in the Indian Treaty Room at 8:30 a.m. The Indian Treaty Room is located in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House.
“Staff who observe are welcome to attend,” the email stated.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump also issued a greeting for Ash Wednesday.
“This Ash Wednesday, we join in prayer with the tens of millions of American Catholics and other Christians beginning the holy season of Lent — a time of spiritual anticipation of the passion, death, and resurrection of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” the message reads.
“During the Lenten season, Christians spend 40 days and 40 nights praying, fasting, and giving alms to deepen our faith and strengthen our belief in the Gospel,” the statement continues. It further noted: “Today, followers of Christ wear crosses of ash on their foreheads — a sacred reminder of our mortality and our enduring need for Christ’s infinite mercy and redeeming love.”
The statement concluded with the president and the First Lady saying: “Let us prepare our souls for the coming glory of the Easter miracle,” adding: “May Almighty God bless you, and may he continue to bless the United States of America.”
Prior to the election, Trump had extended greetings to Catholics on feast days, taking to social media on Sept. 8, the Nativity of Mary, to post “Happy Birthday Mary!” along with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
He also tweeted the St. Michael Prayer marking the archangel’s feast day, accompanied by an image of St. Michael. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are among the most prominent Catholics occupying top positions in Trump’s second administration.
