TITLE: THE STORY OF PANCAKE TUESDAY (AND ASH WEDNESDAY (and St. Patrick's day))
PRESENTER:
As Pancake Tuesday has just passed I thought it fitting that this week we learn a little more about the origins of the day.
Now there are many theories put forward as to how the day originated. In Latin counties the day is associated with mardi gras and carnivals. In Ireland and the UK it can also be called 'Shrove Tuesday'. Shrove is the past tense of shrive which means to obtain absolution of your sins. I always thought 'shrove' was some sort of leaf.
In some countries it is referred to as 'Fat Tuesday', not sure on that one.
The real reason behind 'Pancake Tuesday' lies in the dates. The day can fall anywhere between 3rd of February and 9th of March and is dependant on the cycles of the moon. It is never too far from 17th of March, St. Patricks Day and there-in lies the key. As we all know St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland but he had a rival doing the rounds in Ireland at the same time. A lesser known saint who was known as St. Pancake.
The two saints were constantly trying to outdo each other. St. Patrick famously explained with the help of a shamrock how there are 3 people in the one God, St. Pancake explained with the aid of a bowl and a whisk how there are 3 ingredients in the 1 pancake.
St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland, St. Pancake drove the 'th' sound out of Ireland. Whereas Patrick got widespread recognition for his works Pancake got none.
Pancake grew ever-more desperate to better his rival. As I mentioned earlier Pancake Tuesday is determined by the cycle of the moon. Pancake in a desperate bid to outdo Patrick came up with the idea to cycle to the moon. He set sail on the day before the beginning of Lent as he believed it would take him 40 days and nights to cycle out of orbit.
He lit a huge fire, backed his BMX into it and threw all the explosives he could find into the fire. He is believed to have rocketed upwards at 274miles per hour. A record to this day for any BMX. Ashes rained from the sky for the next 24 hours and so we have Ash Wednesday.
St. Patrick laughed continuously until his own death two weeks later of 'badgers lung'. A disease synonymous with saints laughing at other saints. The date, the 17th of March.
