Shrove Tuesday is the final day of Shrovetide, marking the end of pre-Lent. Lent begins the following day with Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday is observed in many Christian countries through participating in confession; the ritual burning of the previous year's Holy Week palms; finalizing one's Lenten sacrifice; as well as eating pancakes and other sweets.
Pieter Bruegel the Elder: The Fight Between Carnival and Lent (detail), 1559
Russian artist Boris Kustodiev's Maslenitsa (1916)
Shrove Tuesday, Bear guiding [pl] in Poland (1950)
On Shrove Tuesday, many Christians confess their sins, in preparation for Lent; depicted is an Evangelical Lutheran confessional in Luther Church (Helsinki, Finland)
Shrovetide is the Christian liturgical period prior to the start of Lent that begins on Shrove Saturday and ends at the close of Shrove Tuesday. The season focuses on examination of conscience and repentance before the Lenten fast. It includes Shrove Saturday, Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday and Shrove Tuesday.
During Shrovetide, and especially on Shrove Tuesday, many Christians confess their sins, in preparation for the somber season Lent. Shown is an Evangelical Lutheran confessional in Luther Church, Helsinki, Finland
Many Christian congregations celebrate Shrovetide through pancake breakfasts, which are held on Shrove Monday or Shrove Tuesday.
Church bells of Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican congregations ring on Shrove Tuesday (the Shriving Bell) reminding the faithful to confess their sins on Shrove Tuesday
![Shrove Tuesday, Bear guiding [pl] in Poland (1950)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Zapusty-w-Podmoklach-Wielkich_1950.jpg/640px-Zapusty-w-Podmoklach-Wielkich_1950.jpg)
