That includes the cathedral church of Saint John the Divine in Morningside Heights.
It's providing "ashes to go" on the west front stairs throughout the day.
Lent involves a 40-day season of fasting and prayer leading to Easter.
As is customary, the ashes used on Ash Wednesday are made by burning the blessed palms distributed the prior year on Palm Sunday.
Lent ends with the celebration of the Sacred Triduum, the three holiest days on the Christian calendar: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.
Easter Sunday will be celebrated this year on April 20.
ALSO READ: NJ man confined to a wheelchair seeks to climb Mount Kilimanjaro
NJ man in wheelchair training to climb Mount Kilimanjaro
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Follow us on YouTube
* More local news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts