Year of the Goat: Christians Face Dilemma Celebrating Chinese New Year as Ash Wednesday Begins

Chinese New Year
Getty Images

This year, the Year of the Goat and Ash Wednesday fall just a day apart, with Chinese New Year on the 19th, and first day of Lent on Feb. 18, presenting a dilemma for devout Christians across Asia.

One holiday focuses on the joys of eating, drinking and partying, while the other is a somber occasion filled with fasting that starts the season of Lent. According to Antonio Anup Gonsalves of Catholic News Agency, some leaders in the Catholic Church have issued dispensations that allow Asian Catholics to celebrate both holidays.

"In view of the celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year, its cultural and spiritual importance and the traditional practices associated with it, we therefore grant dispensation from the obligation of fasting and abstinence to our Chinese-Filipino and Chinese Catholics in the Archdiocese of Manila from the afternoon of Feb. 18, 2015 until midnight," Cardinal Luis Tagle of Manila wrote in a circular letter to his archdiocese on Feb. 6.

Tagle added that to make up for the celebrations, people should practice "acts of mercy and chartity, especially to the poor and those who suffer" as their form of "penance." He argued that doing such actions would keep with "the penitential spirit of the season of Lent."

"May our celebration of the start of a new year and the Lenten Season bring us to the path of renewal and conversion towards God's Kingdom!" Tagle wrote. "Have a meaningful Lenten season and a Happy Lunar New Year!"

Gonsalves reported that Catholic churches in the region will carry on with masses and the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday. However, bishops' conferences across Southeast Asia and in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei have stated that individuals can either carry on with the fasting and abstinence of Ash Wednesday on the day itself or on another day.

According to Douglas Todd of the Vancouver Sun, over 60,000 Roman Catholics who lived in the Vancouver area also had to resolve this issue. He reported that roughly 20 percent of Vancouver's Catholics were of Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Malaysian origins.

"They face a conflict between the Asian revelry that begins on Lunar New Year's Eve on Feb. 18 and the fasting and alcohol avoidance the Catholic Church expects on the same day, Ash Wednesday," Todd wrote.

Archbishop Michael Miller also issued a "dispensation" so Asian Catholics can celebrate the Lunar New Year with a clean conscience. However, Todd reported that archdiocese communications director Paul Schratz that they don't get a complete pass on their obligations either.

"The archbishop added that since Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent, a penitential time of preparation for the liturgical celebration of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, anyone who makes use of the Ash Wednesday dispensation must observe a different day of fast and abstinence on some other day at the beginning of Lent," Schratz said.

Miller suggested some days where those who plan to celebrate the Lunar New Year can properly observe and practice their Catholic obligations.

"I am obliging all who make use of this dispensation to observe a day of fast and abstinence on one other day at the beginning of Lent, such as Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 or Friday, Feb. 27, 2015," Miller said.

The archbishop of Vancouver also added that his dispensation was only valid for this year.

"Please note that this relaxation of the rule for such a significant day in the Church's liturgical year is a one-time dispensation only and is not valid for future years," Miller said.

Father Tien Tran, a Catholic priest, told Todd that Lunar New Year is a significant holiday to many Asian people. The priest compared its significance to that of American Thanksgiving or Canadian Christmas.

"They eat and they drink," Tran said in describing Lunar New Year celebrations. "They start on New Year's Eve and they celebrate for the next three days - at least."

Todd reported that many people travelled to Asia around this time to go home to their families. Tran, who came to Canada from Vietnam as a refugee when he was 18, told Todd that he would visit his family back in his home country.

    Most Popular
  • Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Faith-based films often receive mixed reactions, and The Last Supper is no exception. The movie attempts to bring a fresh perspective to one of the most iconic moments in Christian history, but does it succeed? Some reviews from critics and audiences provide insight into its strengths and shortcomings.

  • ‘The Chosen’ Season 5: The darkest season yet—What to know before watching

    The wait is over—The Chosen is back with its fifth season, and this time, things are getting intense. The new episodes dive straight into the final days of Jesus’ life, covering some of the most emotional and dramatic moments in the Bible. If you’ve been following the series, you already know that The Chosen isn’t just about retelling familiar stories—it’s about bringing them to life in a way that feels real.

  • Massacres in Syria: Over 1,000 dead, including Christians and Alawites

    Syria’s coastal regions have been devastated by a series of massacres, with reports indicating that over 1,000 people—many from Christian and Alawite communities—have been killed in brutal attacks. Entire families have been wiped out, and survivors are fleeing in search of safety as sectarian violence escalates.

  • Kim Sae-ron and Wheesung: The tragic irony of Korean society and the principles of happiness

    Not long ago, the media was in an uproar over actress Kim Sae-ron’s passing. Just months before, the same people who had relentlessly criticized her for her DUI incident were now expressing sympathy, saying, "The world was too harsh on her." The irony is impossible to ignore.

  • Newsboys move forward as a quartet after Michael Tait’s departure

    After more than a decade as the lead singer of the Newsboys, Michael Tait has officially parted ways with the band, marking a significant shift in the Christian rock group’s lineup. The remaining members—Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, and Adam Agee—have assured fans that they will continue forward, embracing a new season of music and ministry.