Shrove Tuesday & Ash Wednesday - 8th and 9th March

8^th March 2011 - Shrove Tuesday - (the last day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday), is often known in the United Kingdom and many other countries as Pancake Day. This is the day for making and eating pancakes as it was considered a last feast, when using ingredients such as sugar, butter and eggs, traditionally restricted during fasting associated with Lent.
The word shrove comes from the verb to shrive, meaning to obtain absolution for one’s sins by way of confession and doing penance in Lent. Shrove Tuesday is noted in history as far back as 1000AD.

9^th March 2011 - Ash Wednesday - (first day of Lent) derives its name from the practice of placing of ashes in the form of a cross on the foreheads of worshippers, as a sign of repentance.
Ash Wednesday falls on different dates each year (as does Shrove Tuesday) because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It occurs 46 days before Easter and may appear as early as February 4^th/5^th or as late as March 10^th.