Pancakes on the menu as Salvos celebrate Shrove Tuesday

Freshly-made pancakes were on the lunch menu at Noosa Coolum Salvos on Tuesday.

Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday – often called Pancake Day – and Salvation Army expressions around the country took the opportunity to enjoy a pancake or three with their communities.

Shrove Tuesday is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday, and many corps held discussions around Lent as part of the day.

Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – was traditionally a time of fasting, and on Shrove Tuesday, Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confession and were ‘shriven’ (absolved from their sins). A bell would be rung to call people to confession. This came to be called the ‘pancake bell’ and is still often rung today.

Shrove Tuesday is traditionally the last opportunity to use up eggs, fats and oils before the Lenten fast – and Salvation Army centres around the country took advantage.

At the Balga Salvos Community Cafe in Western Australia, more than 70 people had a fun morning eating pancakes, drinking fresh coffee and sharing life together.

More than 70 people came for the pancake breakfast at Balga Corps.

A celebratory pancake breakfast at Victoria’s Merri-bek Salvos attracted many community members, with the air-conditioning on full as Melbourne sweltered in 38° heat.

A pancake lunch was on the menu at Noosa Coolum Salvos in Queensland, with an ‘open table’ and plenty of pancakes, fruit, maple syrup and cream.

Pancakes for lunch brought a smile to faces as members of the community lined up in Noosa.

Also in Queensland, Bayside Salvos served pancakes for breakfast and discussed the meaning of Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and the upcoming Easter Season with our community through table conversation.

Pancake Day was celebrated in South Australia at Riverside Gawler Corps, where they advertised it as ‘Pancake Fiesta’, complete with the third running of the All Age Lemon Rolling Tournament!

In Port Augusta (SA), the occasion gave staff, volunteers, church and hub members the opportunity to come together for a special pancake breakfast.

The Port Augusta team had a special breakfast to celebrate Shrove Tuesday.

Pancake Day is celebrated all over the world, particularly in English-speaking regions like the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada. In France, the USA and some other countries, it is called ‘Mardi Gras’ or ‘Fat Tuesday’.

Hexham Corps in England held a ‘Pancake Fun Day’, during which pancake-makers sharpened their flipping skills in the kitchen (below).