“Shrove” is the past tense of “shrive” – meaning “to confess to a priest, for the purpose of obtaining absolution”, according to Macquarie Dictionary.

So Shrove Tuesday is historically a day when Christians in some traditions confessed their sins in church ahead of Lent.

The pancakes come into it as a way for people to use up food items “banned” during their Lenten fast – including flour, eggs and milk.

This article was originally part of a longer one published here.