Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Tuesday gets its name from pancakes traditionally eaten by people all around the world the Tuesday before Lent. This day was set aside to confessing ones sins and seen as the last chance to use up the foods Christians would not be eating during Lent.

Pancake Tuesday is celebrated all around the world:

• All Catholic and some Protestant countries traditionally call this day Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.


• In Ireland, it is known as Máirt Inide (meaning, in Irish, Shrovetide Tuesday).


• In Iceland the day is known as Sprengidagur (Bursting Day) and is marked by eating salted meat and peas.


• In Lithuania the day is called Užgavėnės. People eat pancakes (blynai) and Lithuanian-style doughnuts called spurgos.


• In Poland this celebration falls on the Thursday which precedes Ash Wednesday and is called Fat Thursday.


• German American populations, such as Pennsylvania Dutch Country, refer to this day as Fastnacht Day.


• Heavily Polish Catholic areas of the United States, such as Chicago and the Detroit suburb of Hamtramck, Michigan, Pączki Day is celebrated with pączki-eating contests, music and other Polish food.

CLICK HERE to read about Pancake Day at Jesus House 2012