For many Innisfailians Shrove Tuesday is a day that starts with the flip of pancakes.
It is also one considered sacred by Christians, the day before Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent - always 47 days before Easter Sunday, which this year is on April 16.
On Feb. 28, St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic School opened its doors to share breakfast pancakes with the community, an event it has hosted since opening in 2003.
"Shrove Tuesday doesn't always mean pancakes. It means the rebirth or cleansing of everything. From today and the rest of the day is about the introduction of Ash Wednesday," said Adam Sia, vice-principal at St. Marguerite. "As a school we start talking about what Lent means, what are you giving up for Lent, what are you trying to accomplish during Lent, and then we move into Ash Wednesday, and we go into the symbolism of the ashes being burnt and put on our foreheads, symbolizing our faith and the commitment to ourselves and to give up things that are sinful. Shrove Tuesday is right up there with Christmas."
Last week's special Christian day at the local Catholic school, which is also observed by Anglicans, Lutherans and Methodists, once again saw members of the local Knights of Columbus donating their time to prepare the pancakes, which for Christians symbolize the four pillars of their faith -- eggs for creation, milk for purity, flour as a primary support of diet, and salt for nourishment. Every student was summoned to attend, along with family members and anyone in the community, no matter what their faith.
"This morning is just opening our doors to the community, but when school starts we have a prayer and every class will come down and every student will have breakfast this morning as part of Shrove Tuesday," said Sia, adding the community aspect of the sacred day is especially symbolized when people just sit down and break bread with someone they don't know. "If you notice the tables, it wasn't just one family sitting down at a table. It was families. Shrove Tuesday is about bringing the community together," said Sia. "When you start looking at Ash Wednesday and giving up sinful things it is about letting go, and that is hard for a lot of people to do, so when we come together as a community, family is your support.
"You are looking across the table at someone you barely know and you are having a chat with them and maybe the conversation comes up or not, but at least you know there is an understanding that Shrove Tuesday is the beginning of a cleansing and a rebirth," he added. "And when we bring communities in like this and we have this kind of an environment, we are all here together; let's work together. Anybody that walks through this door this morning can have breakfast."
Adam Sia, vice-principal at St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic School
"Shrove Tuesday doesn't always mean pancakes. It means the rebirth or cleansing of everything. From today and the rest of the day is about the introduction of Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday is right up there with Christmas."
