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Shrove Tuesday: What is Shrove Tuesday? A Pancake Dinner?
CERC.org ^ | 2004 | FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS

Posted on 02/21/2012 6:08:18 PM PST by Salvation

Shrove Tuesday

FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS

What is Shrove Tuesday? Also, do you have any idea why my parish has always had a pancake dinner on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday?


Shrove Tuesday is the last day of what traditionally was called "Shrovetide," the week preceding the beginning of Lent. The word itself, Shrovetide, is the English equivalent for "Carnival," which is derived from the Latin words carnem levare, meaning "to take away the flesh." (Note that in Germany, this period is called "Fasching," and in parts of the United States, particularly Louisiana, "Mardi Gras.") While this was seen as the last chance for merriment, and, unfortunately in some places, has resulted in excessive pleasure, Shrovetide was the time to cast off things of the flesh and to prepare spiritually for Lent.

Actually, the English term provides the best meaning for this period. "To shrive" meant to hear confessions. In the Anglo-Saxon "Ecclesiastical Institutes," recorded by Theodulphus and translated by Abbot Aelfric about AD 1000, Shrovetide was described as follows: "In the week immediately before Lent everyone shall go to his confessor and confess his deeds and the confessor shall so shrive him as he then may hear by his deeds what he is to do in the way of penance." To highlight the point and motivate the people, special plays or masques were performed which portrayed the passion of our Lord or final judgment. Clearly, this Shrovetide preparation for Lent included the confessing of sin and the reception of absolution; as such, Lent then would become a time for penance and renewal of faith.

While this week of Shrovetide condoned the partaking of pleasures from which a person would abstain during Lent, Shrove Tuesday had a special significance in England. Pancakes were prepared and enjoyed, because in so doing a family depleted their eggs, milk, butter, and fat which were part of the Lenten fast. At this time, some areas of the Church abstained from all forms of meat and animal products, while others made exceptions for food like fish. For example, Pope St. Gregory (d. 604), writing to St. Augustine of Canterbury, issued the following rule: "We abstain from flesh, meat, and from all things that come from flesh, as milk, cheese, and eggs." These were the fasting rules governing the Church in England; hence, the eating of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.

Keep in mind, for this same reason, Easter was celebrated with decorated eggs and fresh breads. Another interesting note surrounding the Easter egg, just as an aside, is that it symbolized the resurrection: just as a little chick pecks its way out from the egg shell to emerge to new life, so Christ emerged from the tomb to new and everlasting life.

One last point: When the "carnival" or "mardi gras" became for some people a debauched party, the Church tried to restore the penitential nature of this time. In 1748, Pope Benedict XIV instituted the "Forty Hours of Carnival," whereby prayers were offered and the Blessed Sacrament was exposed in churches during the three days preceding Ash Wednesday. In a letter entitled, "Super Bacchanalibus," he granted a plenary indulgence to anyone who adored the exposed Blessed Sacrament by offering prayers and making atonement for sins.

As we prepare to begin Lent, perhaps after a hearty dinner of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, may we take time for extra prayer, particularly the Stations of the Cross, and various penances to overcome our weaknesses and to atone for our sins.

 



TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; lent; mardigras

Saunders, Rev. William. "Shrove Tuesday." Arlington Catholic Herald.

This article is reprinted with permission from Arlington Catholic Herald.

THE AUTHOR

Father William Saunders is dean of the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College and pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Sterling, Virginia. The above article is a "Straight Answers" column he wrote for the Arlington Catholic Herald. Father Saunders is also the author of Straight Answers, a book based on 100 of his columns and published by Cathedral Press in Baltimore.

Copyright © 2004 Arlington Catholic Herald


1 posted on 02/21/2012 6:08:30 PM PST by Salvation
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To: nickcarraway; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ArrogantBustard; Catholicguy; RobbyS; marshmallow; ...

**Actually, the English term provides the best meaning for this period. “To shrive” meant to hear confessions. In the Anglo-Saxon “Ecclesiastical Institutes,” recorded by Theodulphus and translated by Abbot Aelfric about AD 1000**

Catholic Ping!


2 posted on 02/21/2012 6:14:10 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
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3 posted on 02/21/2012 6:15:41 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation

I am not eating any stinking p[ancakes the day before I have to fast for Ash Wednesday. It’s steak night for me.


4 posted on 02/21/2012 6:19:19 PM PST by Venturer
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To: Venturer

We used to have them to use up all the bacon fat which we could not use during Lent. Good, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, and loads of pancakes. We made ourselves sick on it practically.

PS. But I understand the steak — LOL!


5 posted on 02/21/2012 6:34:26 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Venturer

Barbequed ribs and Popeye’s chicken for me. Egg salad sandwiches tomorrow.


6 posted on 02/21/2012 7:28:51 PM PST by murron (Proud Mom of a Marine Vet)
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To: Salvation

Not to be overly picky, but for the sake of accuracy, especially as sometimes non-Catholics (understandably) get confused by our terminology, to “SHRIVE” means not merely to hear confession, but more specifically to absolve. The emphasis is on the absolution of sins, which we hope always follows confession, but is not necessarily so (and of course in extremely rare cases absolution may be given without confession, which does shrive one of sin).


7 posted on 02/22/2012 2:26:19 AM PST by baa39
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