Pancake Tuesday!

Today we celebrated Pancake Tuesday. Pancake Day falls on what we call Shrove Tuesday.

Why is it called Shrove Tuesday?

The meaning behind Pancake Day’s original name, Shrove Tuesday, comes from the religious tradition of going to confession to be absolved from sin ahead of the 40-day fast of Lent. ‘Shrove’ in Shrove Tuesday, comes from the word ‘shrive’ – defined as: ‘to hear the confession of (a penitent)’ or ‘to confess one’s sins to a priest in order to obtain sacramental forgiveness.’ So, Shrove Tuesday became the name for the traditional day of confession before Lent.

The origins of Pancake Day are rooted in Christian religion. Pancake Day always lands 47 days prior to Easter meaning the dates vary year on year. Shrove Tuesday is the day that precedes Ash Wednesday and therefore the feast before beginning Lent. Lent is the 40 days that lead up to Easter and is traditionally used as a time for fasting.

Why do we celebrate with pancakes?

Shrove Tuesday is meant to be used to clear the kitchen cupboards of things like eggs, milk and sugar to alleviate any temptations during Lent. It was the last chance for a spot of indulgence before 40 days of fasting, during Lent. Hello pancakes! The perfect way of using up these ingredients!

Today the children enjoyed finding out about the history of Pancake Tuesday and making delicious pancakes! Please enjoy the photos and video of Primary 2 below!