Shrove Tuesday: A Historical Intro

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent, which commences on Ash Wednesday. The name ‘Shrove’ comes from the old middle English word 'Shriven' meaning ‘to go to confession’ or 'to be absolved', to say sorry for the wrong things one has done. Traditionally, therefore, the faithful went to confessions on the day before Ash Wednesday to prepare themselves for the Lenten Season. This became known as Shriven Tuesday and then Shrove Tuesday.

Since this is the last day of the Christian liturgical season historically known as 'Shrovetide', before the penitential season of Lent, related popular practices, such as indulging in food that one might give up as their Lenten sacrifice for the upcoming forty days (Cuaresma), are associated with Shrove Tuesday celebrations. The term 'Mardi Gras' is French for "Fat Tuesday", referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday. It is called 'carnival' day for other countries, the last day of 'fat eating' or 'gorging' before the fasting period of Lent.

In England, the other name for this day, ‘Pancake Day’, comes from the old English custom of using up all the fattening ingredients in the house before Lent, so that people were ready to fast during Lent. The fattening ingredients that most people had in their houses in those days were eggs and milk. A very simple recipe to use up these ingredients was to combine them with some flour and make pancakes!