COLUMBIA, MO. -- Christians all over the world are observing this first day of Lent as Ash Wednesday.

It’s a day when Christians wear ashes on their foreheads as a sign of penitence.

People walking around on the Mizzou campus got a chance to get their ashes without going to church by getting their Ashes to Go.

Dozens of students took advantage of the opportunity at Mizzou’s Speaker’s Circle.

The program is new to Mid-Missouri and is a joint effort between the Episcopal Campus Ministry and the Missouri United Methodist Church.

Episcopal Campus Ministry Reverend Christina Cobb said, “It’s seems like it is meaningful to the students who have stopped by.  We’ve had a number of students that have said they haven’t been in church for a number of years who have stopped for a moment of prayer this morning.”

Episcopal Churches in 16 other states are also offering Ashes to Go on Ash Wednesday.