Pancake Day 2024: What happens on Shrove Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday?
2 min read
Shrove Tuesday, also called Pancake Day, is the feast day before Lent starts on Ash Wednesday.
So why do people eat pancakes on Tuesday?
The word ‘shrove’ Tuesday comes from a Roman Catholic doctrine which means to shrive, confessing your sins and it being absolved by a priest.
Patty Beaton, a catholic member of the Saint Aloysius’ Church, explained how the pancake traditions started on Shrove Tuesday.
In the past, a ‘shriving’ bell would be rung on Shrove Tuesday to call people to church to confess their sins.
Ms Beaton said: “Lent period is a time to sacrifice and it is a tradition that people pack what they have at home like butter or nice things, so they can concentrate on lent.”
“They would clear out their house, clear out their cupboards and bring out the things they have which would not be needed during Lent. So, they would look for flours, milk, make things like staple food to make pancakes and which was mainly to get free of the niceties before the fast begins.”
What happens on Ash Wednesday?
According to Ms Beaton, Ash Wednesday originated from the Bible where people who sought the face of God would tear their clothes and covered themselves with ashes.
She said: “But in the modern day, it is no longer like that and what happens in the Catholic faith is that you come for mass on Wednesday and an ash will be put on your forehead to signify the start of the 40 days length and at the end is the feast of Easter.”
So, enjoy the Pancakes today and look forward to the start of lent tomorrow.
