Pope Francis on Ash Wednesday: 2016 as Holy Year of Mercy

Pope Francis led the annual Ash Wednesday ceremony during Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, which was attended by some 700 "Missionaries of Mercy," prelates, nuns, and ordinary Catholics. The pope then proclaimed 2016 as "Holy Year of Mercy".

The "Missionaries of Mercy" are the 1,000 chosen priests who were to promote the pope's vision of mercy, and were to head assignments of preaching and hearing confessions in Africa, Asia, North America, the Middle East, and elsewhere within his proclaimed "Holy Year" which runs until November 20.

The selected group of confessors received special permission from the pope to absolve grave sins normally dealt with by diocesan bishops or Vatican officials. 

Last year, the pope announced that during the Holy Year, he would allow all rank-and-file priests to grant absolution, especially to repenting women who have committed abortion, considered a "grave" sin that normally only bishops and designated priests could absolve.

Since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has emphasized the church's need to be less stern and judgmental.

"True love, indeed, is not an exterior act, it's not to give something in a paternalistic way to satisfy the conscience, but it is accepting those who need our time, our friendship, our help," Pope Francis said in his homily.

He added that Lent is the occasion to exercise simplicity and sharing, and "to train ourselves to be more sensitive and merciful" to others.

The ritual, which included smudging ashes on foreheads, symbolizes mortality, and marks the start of Lent, a period of prayer, penitence, and self-sacrifice in preparation for Easter. Catholics worldwide remember Ash Wednesday with similar ceremonies.

Pope Francis himself was smudged with ash, which, according to him, must be done out of authentic love, and not just to satisfy one's conscience.