The day before Ash Wednesday is sometimes called “Shrove Tuesday” because this is when people would go to Confession to be “shriven,” which means to be absolved from their sins. More frequently, we call this day Mardi Gras (or “Fat Tuesday” in English). Since Lent is a penitential time, many people will feast on the eve of the fast. Also, traditionally people would not use fats in their house during Lent, meaning they would need to use up their fats before entering Lent.