What the heck is Shrove Tuesday? The word shrove is the past tense of the English verb shrive, which means to obtain absolution for one’s sins by way of Confession and doing penance. Thus Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the custom for Christians to be “shriven” before the start of Lent.* OK, so why pancakes? Pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent. The liturgical fasting emphasized eating plainer food and refraining from food that would give pleasure: In many cultures, this means no meat, dairy, or eggs.

We are beginning this very Anglican tradition at St. Nicholas this year in honor of the fact that it was near and dear to our members from the former St. Bede’s. We are very excited to make this part of our life together.

Please join us at St. Nicholas on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 6:30 pm in Holy Innocents Hall. All are invited to come and share in a simple, though filling supper of home-made pancakes.

Please sign up in church on Sunday so we’ll know how many pancakes to prepare.

*Thurston, Herbert. “Shrovetide.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 6 Jan. 2013

via News from St. Nicholas Episcopal Church