The Church of the Ascension will offer its traditional pancake supper from 5 to 7 p.m. on Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 28.

The meal will be served in the church parish hall at 26 Chautauqua Place and will feature all-you-can-eat homemade sourdough pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage and a beverage. There is no charge for the meal, but donations will be accepted toward the church’s youth summer camp scholarship fund. Takeout meals will be available on a limited basis.

In many Christian traditions, Shrove Tuesday is the designation given to the day before the season of Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday. The day is also known as Mardi Gras — French for “Fat Tuesday” — a term referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.

Pancakes are associated with the day in many countries because they are a way to use up ingredients such as eggs, milk, sugar and lard that are not needed by those observing the liturgical fasting which emphasized eating plainer food and refraining from food that would give pleasure. In Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Ireland the day is actually known as “Pancake Day” for the common custom of eating pancakes as a meal.