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MARDI GRAS

carnival
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Also known as: Fat Tuesday
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French: Fat Tuesday (Show more)
Related Topics: Carnival Shrove Tuesday (Show more)
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Mardi Gras, festive day celebrated in France on Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday
before Ash Wednesday), which marks the close of the pre-Lenten season. The
French name Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, from the custom of using all the fats
in the home before Lent in preparation for fasting and abstinence. See Carnival.


Discover the history of Carnival, also called Mardi Gras
The name Carnival might come from a Latin phrase meaning “to take away
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In the United States the principal Carnival celebration is in New Orleans,
Louisiana. The Carnival season there opens on Twelfth Night (also called
Epiphany, which is observed on January 6) and climaxes with the Mardi Gras
festivities commencing 10 days before Shrove Tuesday. This period is filled with
citywide revelry and elaborate parades, both day and night, building up to Mardi
Gras and the Rex parade. Beads of gold, green, and purple (representing power,
faith, and justice, respectively) are commonly distributed, and the eating of
king cake is an iconic part of the celebration.

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised
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CARNIVAL

pre-Lent festival
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and edit content received from contributors.

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Carnival, the merrymaking and festivity that takes place in many Roman Catholic
countries in the last days and hours before the Lenten season. The derivation of
the word is uncertain, though it possibly can be traced to the medieval Latin
carnem levare or carnelevarium, which means to take away or remove meat. This
coincides with the fact that Carnival is the final festivity before the
commencement of the austere 40 days of Lent, during which Roman Catholics in
earlier times fasted, abstained from eating meat, and followed other ascetic
practices. The historical origin of Carnival is also obscure. It possibly has
its roots in a primitive festival honouring the beginning of the new year and
the rebirth of nature, though it is also possible that the beginnings of
Carnival in Italy may be linked to the pagan Saturnalian festival of ancient
Rome.

The first day of Carnival varies with both national and local traditions. Thus,
in Munich in Bavaria the Carnival season, there called Fasching, begins on the
feast of the Epiphany (January 6), while in Cologne in the Rhineland it begins
on November 11 at 11:11 am (11th month, day, hour, and minute). In France the
celebration is restricted to Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday)
and to mi-carème (the Thursday of the third week of Lent). More generally, the
commencement date is Quinquagesima Sunday (the Sunday before Ash Wednesday), and
the termination is Shrove Tuesday. In some parts of Spain, Ash Wednesday also is
included in the Carnival celebrations, an observance that stems from a time when
Ash Wednesday was not an integral part of Lent.


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The name Carnival might come from a Latin phrase meaning “to take away
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In earlier times Rome was most conspicuous as the centre of Carnival activity,
and the splendour and richness of the festivity that marked its observance there
were scarcely surpassed elsewhere. Today, in a popular Carnival parade in
Einsiedeln, Switzerland, demon masks are worn and large bells clanged to drive
out evil spirits and to announce the end of winter on the eve of Lent and
spring. In its long history Carnival has played a significant role in the
development of popular theatre, vernacular song, and folk dances.


The extravaganza of Venice Carnival
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In the United States the principal Carnival celebration is in New Orleans, where
the Carnival season opens on Twelfth Night (January 6) and climaxes with the
Mardi Gras festivities commencing 10 days before Shrove Tuesday. The French name
Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, from the custom of using all the fats in the home
before Lent. In Italy, Venice became a gathering place for traditionally
disguised Carnival revelers. The most famous modern Carnival is perhaps that of
Rio de Janeiro. Masked balls, elaborate costumes, parades, and various other
festivities mark such celebrations.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised
and updated by Adam Augustyn.



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