<div><p>Actor Mark Wahlberg and his wife Rhea Durham posed for a photo together with a mysterious black mark on their foreheads. Do you know what it means?</p><p>Wahlberg posted the photos on Facebook and Instagram with the caption: "Wishing all who celebrate a blessed #AshWednesday." </p><p>Ash Wednesday is observed by practicing Catholics to begin the 40-day period before Easter. It's a time of prayer, penance, fasting, and good works. On this day, ashes are distributed on foreheads in the form of a cross as a reminder of Jesus' death on the cross.</p><p>Here's his Facebook post: </p><div><amp-facebook data-href="https://www.facebook.com/markwahlberg/photos/a.276957126531.180240.151162256531/10155055284256532/?type=3&theater" layout="responsive" height="600" width="640"></amp-facebook></div><p></p><p>He also posted on Instagram:</p><div><amp-instagram height="1" width="1" layout="responsive" data-captioned="" data-shortcode="BRGxEthh4U4"></amp-instagram></div><p>Wahlberg, who was raised Catholic, has been very public about his faith. He <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2016/10/06/mark-wahlberg-catholic-faith-anchor-supports-everything-life/">describes it</a> as "the anchor that supports everything I do in life." He went on to say, "In my daily prayers, I ask for strength, guidance in my vocation as a husband and as a father." </p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>Good for Mark Wahlberg for raising awareness about this little-known custom! Now you'll know what it means when you see someone with ashes on their forehead. </p><p></p></div>