English in Madrid

Source: Wikipedia (Dave souza)    Shrove Tuesday , also known as Pancake Day in Britain, is the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent - 'Shrove' stems from old English word 'shrive', meaning 'confess all sins '. It is called Pancake Day because it is the day traditionally for eating pancakes as pancake recipes were a way to use up any stocks of milk, butter and eggs which were forbidden during the abstinence of Lent. Source: about.com A great recipe for Pancake Day - just add orange or lemon zest , a pinch of cinnamon , or even finely chopped herbs and a topping of your choice.  Makes 12   INGREDIENTS   140g/5oz plain flour   200ml/7fl oz whole milk  2 eggs  25g/1oz unsalted butter, melted , plus a little extra for the pan   METHOD  Sift the flour with a pinch of salt into a medium-sized bowl and make a well in the middle.  Mix the milk and 100ml water together. Break the eggs into the well and start ...

Source:  Steven Lasry en Unsplash Carnival in Spain Banned during the Franco years, Carnaval is now undergoing a new popularity in Spain Carnival, that explosion of colour, music and celebration which takes place just before Lent, is believed to owe its origins to the pagan festivals which were held by the Romans to celebrate the end of the harsh winter and welcome in the Spring. There are a number of theories as to the origins of the name itself: from the ‘carrus navalis,’ a wheeled boat which was used to carry the high priest of the god of wine, Bacchus, or from the Latin ‘carne vale,’ farewell to meat. * Source: typicallyspanish.com   * The link to the text no longer works.  Vocabulary : to ban - to undergo - to owe - to hold (a festival) - harsh (adj) - to welcome in - a priest - farewell - Lent - a s far as sb/sth is concerned - trading links - to carry on - ahead of sb/sth - a choir - a heat - to back (a group, singer) - ...

Have you ever wondered why Easter Sunday can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25? And why do Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate Easter on a different day than Western churches? These are all good questions with answers that require a bit of explanation. In fact, there are as many misunderstandings about the calculation of Easter dates, as there are reasons for the confusion. What follows is an attempt to clear up at least some of the confusion. The Short Answer At the heart of the matter lies a very simple explanation. The early church fathers wished to keep the observance of Easter in correlation to the Jewish Passover. Because the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ happened after the Passover, they wanted Easter to always be celebrated subsequent to the Passover. And, since the Jewish holiday calendar is based on solar and lunar cycles, each feast day is movable, with dates shifting from year to year. Now, from here the explanation grows more complicat...

Source:  Quino Al on Unsplash Spain's religious brotherhoods told to accept women for Holy Week processions Traditionally it has been an all male domain but women have now earned equal rights to participate in Seville's famous Holy Week processions with a decree from the city's Archbishop. During Semana Santa – the week running up to Easter – the Andalusian capital grinds to a halt as the faithful take to the streets in parades organised by religious brotherhoods belonging to each of the city's many churches. The decree, which comes into effect on March 2, makes it clear that women can be among the 'nazarenos' – the sombre ranks of hooded penitents parading with pointed hats and bearing huge candles tilted from the hip . And for the first time ever it has been stated that women must also be allowed to participate in carrying the heavy thrones bearing images of the saints on a tour from their chapels across the city to the main cathedral and back...

Today is Maundy Thursday. Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter. Christians remember it as the day of the Last Supper , when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and established the ceremony known as the Eucharist. The night of Maundy Thursday is the night on which Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane. The word maundy comes from the command (mandate) given by Christ at the Last Supper, that we should love one another. In Roman Catholic churches the anthem Mandatum novum do vobis (a new commandment I give to you) would be sung on Maundy Thursday. In many other countries this day is known as Holy Thursday. Maundy Thursday ceremonies In Britain, the sovereign takes part in the Ceremony of the Royal Maundy. This ceremony , held at a great cathedral, involves the distribution of Maundy money to deserving senior citizens (one man and one woman for each year of the sovereign's age), usually chosen for having done service to their community. ...

Lent is the period of forty days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar, traditionally a time of fasting and reflection. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and begins with Ash Wednesday. Lent Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days. Lent is marked by fasting, both from food and festivities. The Christian churches that observe Lent in the 21st century (and not all do significantly) use it as a time for prayer and penance. Only a small number of people today fast for the whole of Lent, although some maintain the practice on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. It is more common these days for believers to surrender a particular vice such as favourite foods or smoking. Whatever the sacrifice it is a ...