Mardi Gras' Catholic Roots [Shrove Tuesday]

American Catholic ^ | 02-23-04 | American Catholic

[Salvation]

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the last hurrah before the Catholic season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. It also has links to the Christmas season through the period known as Carnival.

Mardi Gras' Catholic Roots

Mardi Gras, literally "Fat Tuesday," has grown in popularity in recent years as a raucous, sometimes hedonistic event. But its roots lie in the Christian calendar, as the "last hurrah" before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. That's why the enormous party in New Orleans, for example, ends abruptly at midnight on Tuesday, with battalions of streetsweepers pushing the crowds out of the French Quarter towards home.

What is less known about Mardi Gras is its relation to the Christmas season, through the ordinary-time interlude known in many Catholic cultures as Carnival. (Ordinary time, in the Christian calendar, refers to the normal "ordering" of time outside of the Advent/Christmas or Lent/Easter seasons. There is a fine Scripture From Scratch article on that topic if you want to learn more.)

Carnival comes from the Latin words carne vale, meaning "farewell to the flesh." Like many Catholic holidays and seasonal celebrations, it likely has its roots in pre-Christian traditions based on the seasons. Some believe the festival represented the few days added to the lunar calendar to make it coincide with the solar calendar; since these days were outside the calendar, rules and customs were not obeyed. Others see it as a late-winter celebration designed to welcome the coming spring. As early as the middle of the second century, the Romans observed a Fast of 40 Days, which was preceded by a brief season of feasting, costumes and merrymaking.

The Carnival season kicks off with the Epiphany, also known as Twelfth Night, Three Kings' Day and, in the Eastern churches, Theophany. Epiphany, which falls on January 6, 12 days after Christmas, celebrates the visit of the Wise Men bearing gifts for the infant Jesus. In cultures that celebrate Carnival, Epiphany kicks off a series of parties leading up to Mardi Gras.

Epiphany is also traditionally when celebrants serve King's Cake, a custom that began in France in the 12th century. Legend has it that the cakes were made in a circle to represent the circular routes that the Wise Men took to find Jesus, in order to confuse King Herod and foil his plans of killing the Christ Child. In the early days, a coin or bean was hidden inside the cake, and whoever found the item was said to have good luck in the coming year. In Louisiana, bakers now put a small baby, representing the Christ Child, in the cake; the recipient is then expected to host the next King Cake party.

There are well-known season-long Carnival celebrations in Europe and Latin America, including Nice, France; Cologne, Germany; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The best-known celebration in the U.S. is in New Orleans and the French-Catholic communities of the Gulf Coast. Mardi Gras came to the New World in 1699, when a French explorer arrived at the Mississippi River, about 60 miles south of present day New Orleans. He named the spot Point du Mardi Gras because he knew the holiday was being celebrated in his native country that day.

Eventually the French in New Orleans celebrated Mardi Gras with masked balls and parties, until the Spanish government took over in the mid-1700s and banned the celebrations. The ban continued even after the U.S. government acquired the land but the celebrations resumed in 1827. The official colors of Mardi Gras, with their roots in Catholicism, were chosen 10 years later: purple, a symbol of justice; green, representing faith; and gold, to signify power.

Mardi Gras literally means "Fat Tuesday" in French. The name comes from the tradition of slaughtering and feasting upon a fattened calf on the last day of Carnival. The day is also known as Shrove Tuesday (from "to shrive," or hear confessions), Pancake Tuesday and fetter Dienstag. The custom of making pancakes comes from the need to use up fat, eggs and dairy before the fasting and abstinence of Lent begins.

[Salvation]

The last day before Lent begins!

Eat up all the meat products.........hehehe.

Shrive!

[Salvation]

Lenten Journey Ping!

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[Salvation]

Here are some other links about Lent:

The Holy Season of Lent -- Fast and Abstinence

The Holy Season of Lent -- The Stations of the Cross

[Suffering] His Pain Like Mine Lent and Fasting

Ash Wednesday

All About Lent

Kids and Holiness: Making Lent Meaningful to Children

Mardi Gras' Catholic Roots [Shrove Tuesday]

[kenth]

I've never observed Lent traditionally. This will be my first real year in doing so. We will be giving up meat. This is going to be hard. I pray I have the grace to remember at all times what my little sacrifice represents.

OTOH, I briefly considered giving up rutabagas, but that didn't go over so well with the better half.

[Salvation]

**OTOH, I briefly considered giving up rutabagas, but that didn't go over so well with the better half.**

The abstinence from meat is only mandatory on Fridays and Ash Wednesday. 7 days??

You can do it!

[Salvation]

One can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without God, who can eat or find enjoyment? (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends forty days later (minus Sundays) on Easter Sunday. The observation of Lent, for most people, includes periods of denial. In England until 1863 there was a law that eggs, meat, and milk not be eaten during this time and those who violated it could be fined or imprisoned. On Shrove or Fat Tuesday, families ate up all of the forbidden foods so that they would not go to waste. The most common way to use up the foods was to make special pancakes. In England, the pancake was such a popular dish another name for Shrove Tuesday was Pancake Day. Today our observance of Lent isn't as strict, but the components of fasting, reconciliation, and renewal are still present. A Shrove Tuesday Family Night could be a combination of a Pancake Dinner and a Mardi Gras Celebration in preparation for Lent.

[Salvation]

>> For most of us, pancakes are an unusual enough dinner food that our children will begin the conversation with, “Why Pancakes?” This should open the door to briefly explain or review the purpose of Lent. Make the points that Lent is a season that urges us to listen to what God is saying in our lives. It is a time of repentance and recommitment to God. It is our preparation to be Easter people.
>> Discussion (choose one or more options)
1. Have each family member share how they will prepare themselves during Lent for Easter.
2. Help each family member determine a way to prepare themselves during Lent for Easter.
3. Have the family determine a way you will prepare (as a unit) during Lent for Easter.

[Salvation]

You might consider these recipes!

Pancake Recipes:
Plain Mlyntsi (Griddle Cakes)
Ingredients:
· 1 cup flour
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon sugar
· 1 tablespoon melted butter
· 1 egg
· 3/4 cup milk
Directions:
· Place the dry ingredients in a bowl, stir them together well with a fork.
· Add the remaining ingredients and beat well with a manual or electirc beater until thoroughly blended.
· Heat a heavy griddle or frying pan, cast iron is best. Grease the pan lightly with a few drops of oil.
· Test the griddle with a few drops of cold water. The griddle is hot enough when the drops keep a globular shape and skitter across the pan. If the water spreads out, the pan is too cool. If they evaporate immediately, the pan is too hot, and the cakes will burn.
· Pour the batter into the pan with a small scoop or measuring cup to form cakes about 3 inches in diameter.
· Cook the cakes until bubbles break on the surface, flip them quickly and cook the other side.
· Do not turn more than once.
· Serve very hot with syrup, honey, or thick sour cream.


Oatmeal Apple Pancakes
Ingredients: (for 1 2/3 inch pancakes)
· 1 cup oatmeal
· 2 cup buttermilk, or sour milk (1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
· 2 egg
· 2 tablespoon oil
· 2 teaspoon salt
· 2 teaspoon baking soda
· 1 cup flour
· 1 apple, chopped into small pieces
· 1 teaspoon cinnamon, if desired
Directions:
· Place the oatmeal and buttermilk together in a large bowl. Allow to soak for a few minutes.
· Add the egg and oil, and cinnamon if using. Stir well.
· Add the flour, salt and baking soda and stir until well blended.
· Heat a heavy frying pan. Grease lightly with oil.
· Pour about 1/3 cup batter into the pan with a small measuring cup.
· Bake the pancake until bubbles break on the surface, flip quickly and bake the other side. Make sure the pancakes are baked through.
· Keep the pancakes warm in a warm oven until all are done.
· Serve hot.


Potato Pancakes
Crisp and brown, these are great with sour cream or yogurt, bacon and applesauce. This year, I'm going to try cooking them in the waffle iron.
Ingredients: (for nine 3 1/2 inch pancakes)
· 3 medium potatoes
· 1 tablespoon flour
· 1 tablespoon cream
· 1 egg, beaten
· salt
· 4 tablespoons bacon fat or oil
Directions:
· Wash and grate the potatoes.
· Place the potatoes on a double thickness of paper towels, fold the towels around them and twist and squeeze until most of the moisture is removed.
· Unwrap the potatoes and dump them in a bowl.
· Add the flour, cream, egg, and salt and toss until mixed.
· Heat the fat or oil in a skillet.
· Put about 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture in the pan.
· Press and shape the pancakes into a flat 3 1/2 inch cake. Repeat until pan is full but not crowded.
· Cook each pancake about 5 minutes over medium low heat until the bottom is crisp and brown.
· Turn and cook the other side for 5 minutes more.
· Keep warm in a 300* oven until all are ready. Serve.

[Smocker]

Yesterday, Collop Monday, we had eggs and bacon. Today, Shrove Tuesday, we have lots of pancakes. Hmm. Hmm.

Getting ready to be shriven.

[HarleyD]

Just curious. I remember my Catholic relatives and friends eating fish instead of meat on Fridays. Is fish considered a meat or is this something you could eat on Fridays during Lent?

[tob2]

Yummy, yummy!

[pgkdan]

My K of C Council will be cooking thousands of pancakes tonight. We offer pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage, cinnamon raisin bisquits, grits, and fresh fruit. The Catholic Daughters of America will be on hand selling freshly baked desserts. It's definately Fat Tusday at our parish.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

No, Fish is allowed on Friday's during Lent and Ash Wednesday. Meat is generally limited to "land animals" and animals that can fly, though in some countries, chicken is allowed. But in the US, traditionally, all but fish is not allowed on Friday. Generally eating Fish is the standard Friday night fare, ala Friday Night Fish Fries.

[tob2]

I remember very vividly when I was a member of a single's group at the church I attended in NYC. We would have a fund-raising drive during Lent and would donate the proceeds to lesser known charities. That was more meaningful to me than giving up foods, candy, smokes, etc.

[drstevej]

Howsa bout Crawfish Fridays?

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Sounds tasty.

[redhead]

"I've never observed Lent traditionally. This will be my first real year in doing so. We will be giving up meat. This is going to be hard. I pray I have the grace to remember at all times what my little sacrifice represents."

That's quite a sacrifice! No meat at all for the next 40 days? The Church only asks us to abstain from meat on the Fridays of Lent and on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Good for you!

[Salvation]

Yes, you can eat fish, eggs, cheese, but no meat.

The Holy Season of Lent -- Fast and Abstinence

[kenth]

The Church only asks us to abstain from meat on the Fridays of Lent and on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

That's what my wife said. She said if I wanted to observe Lent, I could do that. But, she will always pick one thing and abstain the entire 40 days, so I thought I would join her. Last year was sweets. I don't know how she does it.

[SuziQ]

The custom of making pancakes comes from the need to use up fat, eggs and dairy before the fasting and abstinence of Lent begins

I'd never head of that before I came up North and our Parish began alternating hosting a Shrove Tuesday Dinner with a local Episcopal church. I'd always attended Mardi Gras in New Orleans, since we lived two hours from the city, but I'd never heard of the using up the eggs, oil and dairy products thing. We ate a lot of pancakes and dairy products during Lent, when I was growing up, because we didn't eat Meat on Fridays!

We had the Shrove Dinner last night at our Parish; Pancakes and Sausage or Jambalaya. It was VEY good!