SHROVE TUESDAY |
What is Shrove Tuesday?
Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, is the feast day immediately before Ash Wednesday which marks the start of the 40 days of Lent that lead up to Easter. Because its date is determined by that of Easter Sunday, Pancake Day really is a moveable feast.
Why is Shrove Tuesday so important?
The word shrove is a form of the English word 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. Elsewhere, the day has also been called "Fat Tuesday" or "Mardi Gras".
Why is it called Fat Tuesday?
Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", reflecting the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.
Why do you eat pancakes on Fat Tuesday?
Since foods such as butter, eggs and fat are discouraged from being eaten during the Lenten season, Christians use these ingredients during Shrovetide to make pancakes or other rich foods. The specific custom of Christians eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday dates to the 16th century.
Shrove Tuesday is February 17 this year.
We are joining with Grace Lutheran Church for our Pancake Supper this year.
ASH WEDNESDAY |
Why do we get ashes on our forehead?
Ash Wednesday is a Christian holy day of prayer, fasting and repentance. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the placing of repentance ashes on the foreheads of participants. The minister distributes ashes by lightly rubbing the sign of the cross with ashes onto the foreheads to the words "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
How long do you keep ashes on your forehead?
While most people keep them on at least throughout the service, a person could choose to rub them off immediately. And while many keep their Ash Wednesday ashes on until bedtime, there's no requirement that they do so.
Where do ashes come from for Lent?
The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are made from the burning of palms blessed in the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration, when Christians carry palms to recognize the Gospels' reference to Jesus's path being covered in palm fronds on the day he entered Jerusalem.
Ash Wednesday is February 18 this year.
Our Ash Wednesday Service is at 7:00 PM. Please join us.
LENT |
What is Lent?
In the church season, Lent is the six week period leading up to Easter Sunday.
The actual length is 46 days – however, 40 of these are fasting days and six are Sundays.
Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter".
The period of Lent is seen as a time of solemn observance and preparation for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter.
When is Lent in 2026?
Lent will begin on Ash Wednesday – which in 2026 falls on February 18.
It will come to an end on Thursday, April 2, 2026, with the following day known as Good Friday – the day on which the Crucifixion of Christ is commemorated.
Why do we give things up during Lent?
Many Christians will use Lent to commit to fasting or giving up certain foods, habits or luxuries.
The fasting and abstinence is meant to mirror the experience of Jesus Christ and his experience of fasting in the desert. It may also be done as a spiritual tool to tame the body and ‘sharpen the spirit’ for prayer, reflection and contemplation in preparation for the celebration of Easter.
Traditionally, Christians would fast during the 40 days of Lent, meaning they would have only one full meal a day and two small snacks.
However, nowadays Christians choose to abstain from something in particular – like a food item or luxury like chocolate or caffeine, or a particular habit like drinking or smoking. (Often the money saved is then donated to charity.)
In today’s technological age, others choose to give up social media or even using their phones.
We also practice Lent to bond more closely with fellow Christians who are on the same journey, not only in our local church but also around the world.
Lent is also about preparing to renew our baptismal vows.
What other things can you do during Lent?
Alternatively, those observing Lent will also aim to perform one positive act for each of the days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.
These "positive acts" can include calling up someone who is alone, donating to a worthy cause, and letting someone go ahead of you in a supermarket queue.
If you would like more information about the Anglican Church, please click on the following links for The Anglican Diocese of Edmonton and The Anglican Church of Canada: