Pope Francis receives ashes during Ash Wednesday Mass

As he does every year, Pope Francis celebrated Mass for Ash Wednesday on Rome's Aventine Hill. The service began in the church of St. Anselm and continued to the Basilica of St. Sabina, where the pope received ashes. 

After his homily, he blessed the ashes and was the first to receive them by the titular cardinal of the basilica.

Afterward, Pope Francis places ashes on some of the attending cardinals, bishops and other pilgrims at the service.