‘Shrovetide’ and ‘Lent’ are important events for people who are Christians.
‘Lent’ is a period of 40 days before Easter. Traditionally during Lent, many Christians give up certain things such as meat, eggs, dairy products, alcohol, and cigarettes. The 40 days of Lent doesn’t include Sundays, so Sunday is the day when it’s OK to eat meat, or drink alcohol etc.
The first day of Lent is called ‘Ash Wednesday’.
Due to the calendar, the exact date of Easter celebrations change each year. This year Ash Wednesday falls on March 1st.
The 4 days before Lent is a period called ‘Shrovetide’.
Each day of Shrovetide has a different name and a special tradition.
Quinquagesima Sunday (Shrove Sunday) – This is the fiftieth day before Easter
Collop Monday (Shrove Monday) – A ‘collop’ is a piece of meat or fat, so traditionally people ate bacon and eggs.
Pancake Day – (Shrove Tuesday) – This is the day that all fats and cream had to be finished. Traditionally people eat pancakes.
Ash Wednesday – The first day of Lent.
Because Ash Wednesday is on March 1st this year (2017), it means that Pancake Day is February 28th, Collop Monday is February 27th, and Quinquagsima Sunday is February 26th.
Historically Shrovetide was celebrated with games, sports, dancing, and festivals. Everyone had to use up the food that could not be eaten during Lent, so there were many feasts (big parties with lots of food).
Every year on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, one of the world’s oldest and largest football games is held. It is called the Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football Game, and it has taken place in the town of Ashbourne in Derbyshire since the 1680s. The field is 3 miles long, 2 miles wide, and the two teams have more than 100 players!
