Shrove Tuesday 2023 and Lent Information

Dear Friends!

It's time to prepare for Shrove Tuesday! Today's Christian festival marks the last day before Lent, where people traditionally give up rich and delicious foods. In the UK, Ireland, Australia, and Canada, it's also known as Pancake Day, giving us the perfect excuse to indulge in fluffy and scrumptious pancakes with our favourite toppings. Don't forget to try out this perfect pancake recipe, which symbolizes four points of significance at this time of year: creation, the staff of life, wholesomeness, and purity.

To make eight pancakes, mix 8oz plain flour, 2 large eggs, 1 pint milk, and salt together, and whisk well. Leave the batter to stand for 30 minutes before cooking. Heat a little oil in a frying pan, pour in enough batter to cover the base, and cook until the base is browned. Shake the pan to loosen the pancake, and flip it over to brown the other side.

Why do people have pancakes on Shrove Tuesday? It's because the day before, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent and the start of a period of fasting, abstinence, and repentance. Pancakes became a cultural tradition for people to use up all their fats and eggs before the restrictions of Lent began.

Other names for this day include Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, which refers to the buttery breakfast treats. Ash Wednesday, which is on February 22, marks the beginning of Lent, where church leaders burn palm leaves from Easter celebrations to create ashes used to draw a cross on the foreheads of followers.

Lent lasts until Thursday, April 6, just before Good Friday. Easter is not on a specific date but is a multi-day religious event where Christians retell the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Palm Sunday is on April 2, followed by Good Friday on April 7, Holy Saturday on April 8, and Easter Sunday on April 9. Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, crucified on Good Friday, and rose from the dead on Easter Sunday.

A prayer for Shrove Tuesday (you could say this prayer as you make your pancakes for today, Shrove Tuesday!)

God Our Father, as we prepare to begin Lent, help us to remember what today, Shrove Tuesday, is truly about. Thank you that you Love all of us as your children and that through the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus, we can receive forgiveness for our sins. Help us to celebrate and live that message of forgiveness today by forgiving those who have sinned against you.

Lord, we know that you created the world and you created us. You created pancakes and you created our taste-buds too! Enable us to enjoy ‘pancake day’ in a spirit of celebration of the goodness of your creation. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Enjoy your pancakes and have a blessed Shrove Tuesday, and we look forward to seeing you this Sunday at 11.30am to celebrate the first Sunday in Lent.

Best regards,

Shane