Lazarus Saturday and the pancake breakfast

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ziapueblo

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Does anyone know where this tradition came from, the pancake breakfast, and what it signifies?

Thanks,
ZP
 
The Byzantine churches (both Catholic and Orthodox) read the gospel about Lasarus during their Liturgy on the Saturday before Easter. It is a great preparation for Easter.

Pancakes are tasty but I have no idea where that tradition comes from. 😅
 
I’m Byzantine Catholic so I know the liturgical schedule but have always wondered about the pancake breakfast. My priest was also wondering about it 😂

Anyway, the pancakes are always good!

ZP
 
I think it is one of those traditions that just happened and became traditions and spread. It’s like we eat waffles on the Annunciation Day in Sweden as that day was also called Vårfrudagen (Our Lady Day during the Catholic time). Said quickly and with some of the accents it sounds like våffeldagen. Besides, waffles are tasty.
 
ziapueblo said:
I’m Byzantine Catholic so I know the liturgical schedule but have always wondered about the pancake breakfast. My priest was also wondering about it 😂

Anyway, the pancakes are always good!

ZP
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I’ve never heard of this tradition and I am a cradle Byzantine.

Edit: A quick Google search leads me to believe it is a Greek thing and not so much a Slavic tradition.
 
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I think it is a Greek thing. It’s done in the Greek Orthodox Church and I think you can see it in many of the Melkite Churches.

ZP
 
HeDa said:
The Byzantine churches (both Catholic and Orthodox) read the gospel about Lasarus during their Liturgy on the Saturday before Easter. It is a great preparation for Easter.
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After all these years, it was only last year that I noticed the bit about the priests plotting to kill Lazarus, too–and reacted with that being really bad strategy . . . if you’re going to kill someone to make a point, it’s probably better to choose someone who hasn’t already demonstrated that he won’t stay that way!!!
 
Hmmm, as if killing someone solves the problem… Lazarus means “whom God helps” or “God has helped” which I find a very fitting name for someone who died and already smelled but was brought back to life by God himself.
 
What is it about pancakes that they figure into so many folk-customs.

On Shrove Tuesday, on Holy Saturday, and there’s others I can’t think of off the top of my head.

OTOH, If I were head of the marketing department at IHOP I would be all over this, just sayin’

🥞❤️
 
babochka said:
I’ve never heard of this tradition and I am a cradle Byzantine.

Edit: A quick Google search leads me to believe it is a Greek thing and not so much a Slavic tradition
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I’m cradle Byzantine (and Slovak to boot) and I’ve never heard of this tradition either.
 
Must be a Greek thing and not Slavic. Many Melkite Churches and Antiochian Orthodox have a pancake breakfast as well as Greek Orthodox.

ZP
 
I’m just being curious as I really have no idea but…often these traditions get their start due to using up perishable foods that can’t be eaten during a period of time?

Were eggs or flour involved in fasting rituals during Lent or the Good Friday fasts?
 
Hens stopped laying eggs during the Winter and started again in the Spring before we had the modern cheaper electricity that fools everyone that it is daytime when the lights are switched on. It was common in many places to save the eggs for the celebrations of Easter.
 
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