Shrove Tuesday: Staten Islanders unite over pancakes and parishioners before Lenten fasts

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Across The Pond, Catherine Princess of Wales famously attempted to flip pancakes for seniors this year on Shrove Tuesday. Simultaneously, Staten Islanders celebrated the decadent eve of the Lenten season with colorful and tasty feasts served up with fellowship.

Members of the Church of the Ascension on Kingsley Avenue celebrate Shrove Tuesday with their new Priest in Charge, Fr. John Shirley. (Courtesy of The Rev. Holly Bonner)Pameal Silvestri

Fetes around the borough took place at St. Peter’s R.C. Church in New Brighton, St. John’s Episcopal Church at Eccleston Hall in Rosebank and Church of the Ascension in Castleton Corners. Christ Church in New Brighton offered fluffy flapjacks and breakfast meats with a festive Mardi Gras theme. Students at Wagner College broke bread at Kairos House Chapel, Grymes Hill.

Fr. Louis Jerome says a prayer at St. Peter’s on Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

“Anytime we have the opportunity to combine classroom knowledge with spiritual growth is an invaluable experience,” said Rev. Dr. Holly Bonner, Director of the Center for Spirituality and Civic Engagement and Professor of World Religions and Disability course at Wagner.

She shared, “Today we had students of all faiths come together to share a simple meal and learn about the impending Lenten season. What a blessing for all of us!”

On the serving line on Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 at St. John’s in Rosebank. (Courtesy of Edwina Martin)Pameal Silvestri

Priest In Charge at Ascension Rev. John Shirley summed up the tradition. He said, “We usually eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday (the day before the beginning Lent) because the ingredients utilize many of the items traditionally restricted during the Lenten fast: eggs, dairy products, and sugars.”

Aaliya Davis loves the beads offered at Christ Church’s pancake dinner on Shrove Tuesday, 2023. (Courtesy of Lisa Rhoades)Pameal Silvestri

He added, “This meal also often includes meats such as sausages, bacon, and ham, which were also not permitted during Lent, the annual remembrance of Christ’s fasting and suffering. Historically, their foods were consumed so as to not go to waste during the Lenten season of fasting and abstinence because they were considered luxuries.”

Kit Gerney and Luke Larimer working the line at Christ Church’s Shrove Tuesday dinner, New Brighton. (Courtesy of Lisa Rhoades)Pameal Silvestri

Father John explained, “While these regulations have been moderated over the years, the eating of pancakes (and foods associated with them), is a reminder that the next day, Ash Wednesday, begins a season of spiritual and physical discipline in which the faithful forgo aspects of consumer/physical contentment in order to grow spiritually and in closer communion with God by recognizing our own frailty, propensity toward pride, and our need for humble dependence upon God as our Creator.”

Denise Enright arranges pancakes at St. Peter’s. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

Marybeth Gustaffson and husband John of West Brighton worked the food St. Peter’s basement kitchen with Jose Perez and Karl Reina. Reina, owner of the former Karl’s Klipper, shuffled pancakes on the griddle and helped turn out heaping platters of chorizo, pork links, kielbasa and Virginia ham slices. A youth group from the parish led by Martha Silva served guests complimentary soft drinks and coffee.

– Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2023 with a dinner co-sponsored by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Stapleton, and St. John’s of Rosebank. (Courtesy of Edwina Martin)Pameal Silvestri

St. Peter and Paul and Assumption’s Rev. Louis Jerome stood in the center of Farrell Hall and cracked a joke. After chuckles and a prayer, guests in the room settled down to their breakfast supper.

Pamela Silvestri is Advance Food Editor. She can be reached at silvestri@siadvance.com.

An animated prayer and opening to preface the Shrove Tuesday festivities at St. John’s with Edwina Frances Martin, Richmond County public administrator, and The Rev. Henry O. Tuell, IV aka Fr. Hank of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Rosebank. (Courtesy of St. John’s Episcopal Church)Pameal Silvestri

Pancakes and sausage links at Christ Church, New Brighton.(Courtesy of Lisa Rhoades)Pameal Silvestri

Marybeth Gustaffson on Shrove Tuesday with pancakes at St. Peter’s. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

A thumbs up from helper Noah Dellvalle who works the whipped cream station on Shrove Tuesday at Christ Church. (Courtesy of Lisa Rhoades)Pameal Silvestri

Sigitolo Brazell enjoys pancakes at Christ Church on Shrove Tuesday. (Courtesy of Lisa Rhoades)Pameal Silvestri

Nick Dowen and Barnett Shepherd at Christ Church’s Shrove Tuesday dinner, 2023 in New Brighton (Courtesy of Lisa Rhoades)Pameal Silvestri

Karl Reina, left, and John Gustaffson flipping pancakes at St. Peter’s in Farrell Hall’s kitchen. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

What Christ Church’s pancakes looked like on Shrove Tuesday, 2023. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

At Christ Church, Kit Gerney adn Luke Larimer on Shrove Tuesday, 2023. (Courtesy of Lisa Rhoades)Pameal Silvestri

Nia Davis and Lurlean McKinney help decorate Christ Church for the 2023 Shrove Tuesday dinner. (Courtesy of Lisa Rhoades)Pameal Silvestri

The scene before breaking bread at Farrell Hall in St. Peter’s R.C. Church, New Brighton. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

Charlie Nygard at Christ Church serving pancakes.(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

Fr. Louis Jerome and Matthew Takyi-Asante of St. Peter’s-St. Paul-Assumption R.C. Church. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

The Rev. Fr. Trevor Babb blessed the meal at Christ Church in New Brighton. (Courtesy of Lisa Rhoades)Pameal Silvestri

The service station for pancakes and the fixin’s on Shrove Tuesday at St. Peter’s R.C. Church, New Brighton (Courtesy of Martha Silva)Pameal Silvestri

From left to right: The Rev. Frederick W. Schraplau of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Stapleton, Edwina Frances Martin, Richmond County public administrator, and The Rev. Henry O. Tuell, IV aka Fr. Hank of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Rosebank. (Courtesy of St. John’s Episcopal Church)Pameal Silvestri

Margaret Moschetto at the Shove Tuesday pancake dinner at St. Peter’s in New Brighton (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

Shrove Tuesday at St. Peter’s R.C. Church, New Brighton included a sit-down breakfast dinner. (Courtesy of Martha Silva)Pameal Silvestri

Jim and Gerry Pratt of West Brighton at the St. Peter’s pancake dinner on Shrove Tuesday, 2023. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

Chorizo, Virgina ham and pork sausage links at the St. Peter’s breakfast dinner on Shrove Tuesday, 2023 (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

Shrove Tuesday at St. Peter’s R.C. Church, New Brighton with the church’s youth group as servers. (Courtesy of Martha Silva)Pameal Silvestri

Breaking bread on Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 at St. John’s in Rosebank. (Courtesy of Edwina Martin)Pameal Silvestri

Sausage links at St. Peter’s Shrove Tuesday breakfast dinner (Staten Island Advance/Pamela SIlvestri)Pameal Silvestri

Cindy Voorspuy, left, with the Hon. Edwina Frances Martin, Richmond County public administrator, on Shrove Tuesday. (Courtesy of St. John’s Episcopal Church)Pameal Silvestri

Sharing pancakes on Shrove Tuesday at St. Peter’s R.C. Church, New Brighton (Courtesy of Martha Silva)Pameal Silvestri

Master cooks Fr. Hank Tuell and Vivian Murray, warden of St. John’s Episcopal Chruch, Rosebank. (Courtesy of Edwina Martin)Pameal Silvestri

Blueberry pancakes at St. Peter’s R.C. church on Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)Pameal Silvestri

Youth of the parish on Shrove Tuesday at St. Peter’s R.C. Church, New Brighton (Courtesy of Martha Silva)Pameal Silvestri