"On Staten Island, Shrove Tuesday is a chance to celebrate with neighbors and friends before the hush of Lent settles over the borough. But the tradition has grown surprisingly scarce. This year, based on my research, only three congregations are firing up their griddles for the pre‑Lenten ritual-all free, with freewill donations accepted-serving pancakes, sausage, and the kind of fellowship that has defined the day for generations."
"If you're wondering why pancakes became the star of the day, the roots go deeper than breakfast. "Shrove" comes from the old English word shrive, meaning to confess-a reminder that the day was once as much about spiritual preparation as it was about using up rich ingredients before Lent. That blend of festivity and reflection is what gives Shrove Tuesday its staying power."
""We usually eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday because the ingredients use many of the items traditionally restricted during the Lenten fast: eggs, dairy products, and sugars," he said. The custom once served a practical purpose-using up foods considered luxuries before the season of fasting-but, he noted, it continues to carry spiritual weight. "The eating of pancakes is a reminder that Ash Wednesday begins a season of discipline in which the faithful forgo aspects of physical comfort to grow spiritually and in closer communion with God.""
On Staten Island, only three congregations are hosting free Shrove Tuesday pancake dinners with freewill donations, serving pancakes, sausage, and fellowship. Clay and Kiln Studio holds a Mardi Gras‑themed kids' canvas event, followed by a street‑side Mardi Gras celebration along Castleton Avenue between Davis and Oakland Avenues. The term "Shrove" derives from the old English shrive, meaning to confess, linking the day to spiritual preparation and using up rich ingredients before Lent. Rev. John Shirley explained that pancakes use eggs, dairy, and sugars once restricted during Lent and remind worshippers that Ash Wednesday begins a season of discipline.
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