Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday?

Today is Shrove Tuesday. Oh, but it is also called Fat Tuesday, or in French, Mardi Gras. seven Such a difference in emphasis! The latter brings up the happy thought of consuming rich foods. What does the former imply?

What is “shrove”? What is it to be shriven or to shrive? Well, it has to do with private confession, or what we call in the prayer book “The Reconciliation of a Penitent,” one of the sacraments. To shrive oneself is to present oneself to a priest for penance and absolution. You see the title for this day doesn’t go with the practiced emphasis of today.

There was a time in the past when, right before Lent began, people prepared with private confession on Tuesday and participated in a public penitential rite on Ash Wednesday. So there were two consecutive days of penitence. If you have a Book of Common Prayer, you can get a sense of private confession with the notes on page 446 and look through the two rites of that sacrament on pages  447-452. The pages for reminding yourself of the Ash Wednesday liturgy are BCP pp. 264-269. The old quip on private confession for Episcopalians was, “Anyone may; no one must”.  A bit tongue cheek, we sometimes added an extra phrase, to make it “Anyone may; no one must; some should.” It is cheeky but possibly accurate. Don’t you agree?

When we use the title, “Fat Tuesday” or “Mardi Gras” for the day under consideration we emphasize other things. These titles go with the practical matter of clearing the larder and the pantry of things that will be off the menu during the disciplined days of abstinence. It was our last day to use up things we wouldn’t be consuming in the diligent days of Lent. Anglicans feasted on pancakes, and whatever we put with them, which is how Shrove Tuesday Pancake Suppers came to be. Other cultures feasted on other things. All of this grew into indulging in a complete festival of frivolity before we had to buckle down for a sober Lent. In many cultures, including cities along the Gulf Coast, the frivolity and parties stretch out for weeks, from Epiphany in January all the way to Mardi Gras revelry and parades.

So, which is it? Is it a day of personal penitence, or a night of fun before the serious stuff? It is either. It is probably both. I can be penitential and eat pancakes at the same time, how about you? I am sure it is fine to let the good times roll on Tuesday and reverently receive ashes on Wednesday. Let’s stay flexible as good Anglicans do.