The History of Pancake Day and Shrove Tuesday
Eating Pancakes is Related to Religion, Lent, Shrovetide and Easter
Feb 15, 2009
Pancakes are made with a batter consisting of flour, eggs, milk and butter, which is cooked in batches in a frying pan to make several thin, fried cakes. The cakes are often eaten with a sprinkling of lemon juice and sugar, or maple syrup, but can be used in a variety of sweet and savoury dishes.
Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday and the Lent Christian Festival
Pancake Day is also known as Shrove Tuesday, and falls once a year in the month of February or March. As the name suggests, many people uphold the tradition of eating pancakes on this day. However, there is more to Pancake Day than just eating pancakes, as its ancient beginnings were heavily rooted in religion.
To understand the origins of Pancake Day, it helps to know a little about Lent. The Christian festival of Lent begins the day after Pancake Day, (known as Ash Wednesday), and ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday. In total Lent lasts for 40 weekdays (47 days altogether), and is observed as a time of fasting, prayer and repentance of sins in honour of the 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus spent alone fasting in the wilderness.
Shrovetide, Sin Confession and the Last Feast Before Easter
The Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday are collectively known as Shrovetide, with Shrove Tuesday being the last day. The word ‘shrove’ is the past tense of the verb ‘shrive’, which means the confession of sins in order to be forgiven for them. Shrovetide represents a time when Christians would confess their sins and ask God for forgiveness, in preparation for Lent.
Being the last day before Lent, Shrove Tuesday was not only a time for confession and forgiveness, but a time for a celebratory feast. Christians made pancakes on this day in order to use up the leftovers in their cupboards that they would have to give up during the fasting period. It would be the last chance they would have to indulge in rich foods such as dairy, eggs, and fats until Easter (with the exception of Mothering Sunday), because these were forbidden for the duration of Lent.
Although Pancake Day has its origins in religion, nowadays it is enjoyed by many people, regardless of their religious orientation. Pancake Day is also known as Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday, and its cultural traditions vary around the world.
Pancake Day Dates
The date for Pancake Day varies from year to year, depending on when Easter falls.
- 2009 – 24th February
- 2010 – 16th February
- 2011 – 8th March
- 2012 – 21st February
- 2013 – 12th February
Resources:
- Woodlands Junior. “Shrove Tuesday.” (Accessed February 15th, 2009)
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