Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent for the Christian faith. If you can't make it to your local house of worship, there are several locations in the city where you can observe the holiday.
Beginning at 6 a.m., Holy Name Cathedral on State and Superior applied ashes to those who came for the weekday masses. Urban Village Church took Ash Wednesday to the streets, offering ashes at various locations including Daley Plaza at 8 a.m. and numerous train stations throughout the day.
The season of Lent began for Roman Catholics on the heels of news that Pope Benedict XVI will resign at the end of February. The 85-year-old pontiff made his first public comments on Wednesday morning, since his resignation announcement on Monday.
He told the faithful, who gathered in the thousands at Vatican City, that he would be stepping down for "the good of the church."
Benedict basked in a standing ovation that lasted more than a minute.
The Vatican says the pope will spend his final day as pontiff attending a morning farewell ceremony with his cardinals, then fly off by helicopter in the early evening to his papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
That timetable means Benedict will be far from the Vatican when he ceases being pope at 8 p.m. on Feb. 28.
Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said Wednesday that no formal or symbolic act was needed to make his resignation official at that time, because Benedict had already done all that was required to resign under church law by affirming he had taken the decision freely.
Benedict's final official acts as pope will include audiences with the Romanian and Guatemalan presidents this week and the Italian president on Feb. 23.
Cardinal Francis George will travel to Rome to participate in the conclave that will elect a new pope before the Easter holiday, on March 31.
Thursday, May 16 2013 9:49 PM EDT2013-05-17 01:49:53 GMT
Mayor Emanuel will celebrate two years in office by unveiling "Elevate Chicago" on Thursday, a series of construction projects to improve Navy Pier and McCormick Place.
Mayor Emanuel will celebrate two years in office by unveiling "Elevate Chicago" on Thursday, a series of construction projects to improve Navy Pier and McCormick Place.
Monday, February 25 2013 1:41 PM EST2013-02-25 18:41:37 GMT
Just as Oscar host Seth MacFarlane set his sights on a variety of targets with a mixture of hits and misses, the motion picture academy spread the gold around to a varied slate of films.
Just as Oscar host Seth MacFarlane set his sights on a variety of targets with a mixture of hits and misses, the motion picture academy spread the gold around to a varied slate of films.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 7:03 PM EDT2013-05-22 23:03:10 GMT
The Chicago Board of Education made its final decision Wednesday afternoon - to close 48 Chicago Public Schools in June, with one school delayed a year and to save five others.
The Chicago Board of Education made its final decision Wednesday afternoon - to close 48 Chicago Public Schools in June, with one school delayed a year and to save five others.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 6:45 PM EDT2013-05-22 22:45:07 GMT
Illinois public schools that teach sex education will have to include information about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases instead of a curriculum focused on abstinence.
Illinois public schools that teach sex education will have to include information about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases instead of a curriculum focused on abstinence.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 5:50 PM EDT2013-05-22 21:50:46 GMT
The attorney for an 87-year-old woman who accuses Donald Trump of cheating her in a skyscraper condo deal told Chicago jurors on Wednesday that the "Apprentice" star lied on the witness stand.
Jurors have withdrawn to begin deliberations about whether Donald Trump cheated an 87-year-old who claims the "Apprentice" star cheated her in property deal.
