The French phrase "Mardi Gras" means "Fat Tuesday,"
which is the last of a series of Carnival days before the Christian season
of Lent begins. Originating in pre-Christian spring fertility rites, Carnival
celebrations include masquerade balls, fantastic parades, and wild dancing
in the streets. All Roman Catholic countries and communities celebrate
Mardi Gras or Carnival. The world-famous Mardi Gras celebrations in New
Orleans began in 1827 when visitors to Paris returned, and brought back
the idea of a French-style carnival before Lent.
The winter
party season called Carnival begins January 6 and lasts through Mardi Gras.
January 6th is also known as Epiphany, or Twelfth Night (12 nights after
Christmas). On different years, the date of Mardi Gras can range from February
2 to March 9, as it is 46 days prior to Easter Sunday. The date of Easter
varies with solar and lunar cycles, and as a result, Carnival may last
anywhere from 28 to 63 days. According to ancient Catholic formula, Easter
is the first Sunday on or after the first full moon that follows the spring
solar equinox.
Mardi Gras Celebration TipsMardi Gras festivities usually last for 3 to 7 days up to and including
Fat Tuesday. Fat Tuesday falls on the following dates: February 11, 1997;
Feb. 24, 1998; Feb. 16, 1999; March 7, 2000; Feb. 27, 2001.
But if you wish to avoid the crowded Carnivals of large cities, visit
the smaller celebrations such as the colorful Mardi Gras festivals held
in Aruba, Trinidad, Carriacou Island (Grenada), Nice (France), and
Binche (Belgium). |
In the Christian religion, Mardi Gras is also known as Shrove Tuesday,
a time of confession, penitence, and absolution in preparation for Lent.
The three to seven days prior to Lent are also a last opportunity to indulge
in fun, food, and drink before the onset of fasting and abstinence.
Ash Wednesday,
the first day of Lent, follows Fat Tuesday. Back in the fourth century,
Christians decided to observe Lent by eating sparingly 40 days before Easter,
the festival which commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lent
season lasts 46 days — the 40 days of Lent, plus the six interspersed Sundays
which are non-Lenten "festival" days. (However, in Eastern world
Christian churches, Lent season lasts eight weeks before Easter, and the
date of Easter rarely matches the West due to their non-Gregorian calendar.)
Since Pope
Paul VI’s apostolic constitution of February 1966, the Roman Catholic church
now requires fasting and abstinence during Lent only on Ash Wednesday and
Good Friday. Good Friday, originally known as "God’s Friday,"
is the anniversary of Christ's crucifixion, occurring two days before Easter
Sunday.