Why do we have Pancake Day? The meaning behind Shrove Tuesday

There's a reason why we eat pancakes every year on Shrove Tuesday

Pancake Day takes place tomorrow, Tuesday, March 1, but some people may not know why we have a day dedicated to pancakes.

Known in the religious calendar as Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day is a traditional feasting day ahead of Lent.

People indulge in a stack of pancakes with a variety of sweet or savoury toppings to treat themselves ahead of giving something up for the next 40 days of Lent, which mirrors Jesus Christ’s sacrifice of walking through the desert for this period of time.

READ MORE: Top chef shares common mistake everyone makes on Pancake Day

The making of pancakes involves using up all of the fatty, rich foods that are in the house, such as eggs, flour, salt and milk.

The white of the milk symbolises purity, flour represents life, wholesomeness is captured in the salt and creation is shown by using eggs.

Shrove Tuesday goes back to Anglo-Saxon times when Christians would attend confession and a priest would absolve or forgive them of their sins and they would therefore be "shriven".

A ringing bell, known as the pancake bell, would alert Christians that confession was due to take place.

The date of Pancake Day/Shrove Tuesday changes each year, as it is determined by when Easter falls.

It always takes place in February or March and it is the day before Ash Wednesday.

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