The Tuesday before Lent has many names and is celebrated in different ways around the world. The first word in “Shrove Tuesday,” for example, means “to confess,” as it was customary to go to Confession before the beginning of Lent. Historically there is a widespread custom of using all the fats, meats, and dairy products in the house before entering into the Lenten season of fasting and abstinence. This led to nicknames in Louisiana and France of “Mardi Gras” (Fat Tuesday), and in Latin American countries it is known as “Carnival” (Farewell to Meat). It is a day of great indulgence in rich foods and celebration before entering into the penitential season of Lent.