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Shrove is the past tense of the word shrive, which means to hear a confession, assign penance, and absolve from sin. In the Middle Ages, especially in Northern Europe and England, it became the custom to confess one's sins on the day before Lent began in order to enter the penitential season in the right spirit.

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Many towns throughout England used to hold traditional Shrove Tuesday football (‘Mob Football’) gamesdating back as far back as the 12th century. The practice mostly died out with the passing of the 1835 Highways Act which banned the playing of football on public highways, but a number of towns have managed to maintain the tradition to the present day including Alnwick in Northumberland, Ashbourne in Derbyshire (called the Royal Shrovetide Football Match), Atherstone in Warwickshire, Sedgefield (called the Ball Game) in County Durham, and St Columb Major (called Hurling the Silver Ball) in Cornwall

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Shrove comes from the word "shrive" which means to confess.

In the olden days, Shrove Tuesday would be a day of confession for Christian before Lent began.

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40 days before Easter Sunday

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The ingredients for pancakes can be seen to symbolise four points of significance at this time of year:
Eggs ~ Creation
Flour ~ The staff of life
Salt ~ Wholesomeness
Milk ~ Purity

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The day in February or March immediately preceding Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent)

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Traditionally, Christians will make pancakes to use up rich, indulgent foods such as eggs and milk on the day before Lent.

In places such as Rio and New Orleans, the day before Lent is known as Mardi Gras and is celebrated with lavish, colourful Carnivals.

Some Christians fast for the whole period of Lent to remember Jesus’ sacrifice in the Judean desert. Sundays are exempt from the fast.

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Competitors run a short track while flipping a pancake in their frying pan