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Mardi Gras, a bit like Easter and Christmas, is disputed in its Christian origins. Like there are “pagan” elements to both Christmas (Christmas trees) and Easter (the Easter bunny), Mardi Gras can most directly trace its roots to pagan celebrations of spring time and fertility. Mardi Gras, also known as Carnival in many countries, is a time of unrestrained fun, in which observers indulge in many desires. Mardi Gras was celebrated in Roman Catholic communities in Europe Mardi Gras "is a lively, colorful [not to mention bawdy and debased] celebration held on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent begins," says the World Book Encyclopedia. It " goes back to an ancient Roman custom of merrymaking before a period of fast. Mardi Gras is sinful in that it involves drunkenness and sexual promiscuity. But it is all the more wicked because this blatant sin is committed in the name of “God!” The Mardi Gras colors purple, green, and gold represent justice, faith, and power, respectively. Again, Mardi Gras appears to be “Christian.” The Christian Calendar and Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, is the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent is the 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance leading up to Easter Sunday in the Christian calendar. Mardi Gras is best known as a raucous event that takes place in New Orleans, LA and other areas around the world in January and February. Fat Tuesday, the final day of Mardi Gras, can occur in March depending on the calendar year and how it corresponds to the Christian liturgical calendar. Mardi Gras is purposely designed to commemorate frivolity, carousing and sin, but is considered in many quarters to be part of the Christian calendar. History of Mardi Gras and its pagan roots. Most historians believe Mardi Gras was brought to the Americas by the French explorer Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville in 1699, but the origins of Mardi Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. Also known as Carnival or Carnaval, it’s celebrated in Mardi Gras may be best known for its parade floats, beads, and parties, but it actually has religious roots. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday,” and it refers to the practice of eating rich foods before the start of Lent. Lent is a 40-day period of fasting and reflection that leads up to Easter. Galveston, Texas, has the largest Mardi Gras celebration in Texas. It’s estimated that it attracts up to 200,000 people. More than 3 million beads will be thrown. Even after all the devastation of the hurricanes in 2017, the party goes on. Celebrate Mardi Gras. Remember the heritage of Mardi Gras while you’re partying. 12 PM | Pass Christian - St. Paul Carnival Parade 1 PM | Gulfport - Second Street Social Club Parade 1:30 PM | D'Iberville - North Bay Mardi Gras Association Parade. Monday, March 3 5:30 PM | Bay St. Louis - Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse Lundi Gras Parade. Tuesday, March 4, Mardi Gras Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", referring to it being the last day of consuming rich, fatty foods, most notably red meat, in preparation for the Christian fasting season of Lent, during which such foods are avoided. “Mardi Gras is not just a day, it’s a state of mind!” – New Orleans Carnival Enthusiast. Religious Observances. Mardi Gras has roots in Christian tradition. It’s the last day of feasting before Lent. Communities mix religious meaning with fun, creating a special cultural experience. It’s a time for both spiritual reflection and joy. PASS CHRISTIAN: Mardi Gras Community King Cake Tasting, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Randolph Center (315 Clark Avenue) Saturday, February 8 BILOXI: GCCA Annual 5K Run for the Beads , 8:45 a.m., check-in starts at the Gulf Coast Carnival Association Office (792-A Howard Avenue) Christian Adaptation: The Christian tradition of Mardi Gras began as a way to indulge before the solemn season of Lent. It was a time for people to enjoy rich foods, celebrate, and engage in excesses before the fasting and abstinence of the Lenten season. The indulgence and revelry associated with Mardi Gras are contrary to the biblical call to holiness, self-control, and a consistent, godly lifestyle. While neither Mardi Gras nor Lent is commanded in the Bible, the origins of these traditions in pre-Christian, pagan customs further call into question their appropriateness for believers. In Christian cultures, Mardi Gras, also known as Carnival and Shrove Tuesday, is the last day before the beginning of Lent, a period of fasting and repentance leading up to Easter. The date of Mardi Gras is 41 days before Easter Sunday, whose date varies from year to year. It is followed by Ash Wednesday, when Lent begins. Mardi Gras became an “official” Christian holiday in 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII instituted the namesake Gregorian calendar still in use today. By recognizing Mardi Gras as an overture to Lent, the idea was for all the partying and foolery to be over with when it came time to observe the requisite austerities. At the heart of it, Mardi Gras is also a Christian holiday traced to pagan spring and fertility rites dating back thousands of years that has become a popular cultural phenomenon worldwide. And although Mardi Gras is today most closely associated with New Orleans, Louisiana, it is observed in hundreds of cities in more than fifty countries. Mardi Gras Celebrations Around the World. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA: New Orleans is renowned for hosting one of the most extravagant and iconic Mardi Gras celebrations in the world.
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