Gallery
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
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, also known as “Fat Tuesday“, is a holiday celebrated the world over that signals the start of the Lenten season. The holiday has its roots in ancient pagan celebrations, but it was Christianized by the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages. 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. Many Mardi Gras traditions can be traced back thousands of years to pagan celebrations of spring and fertility, including the Roman festivals of Saturnalia (in honor of Saturn god of wealth, abundance, and agriculture) and Lupercalia (a day to promote fertility) whose earliest known recording is from the 3rd century BCE. Carnival also ends at midnight on Mardi Gras. The word “carnival” may derive from the Latin “carne vale” or “farewell to meat,” refering to the Lenten custom of abstaining from eating meat. Proposed pagan sources for Mardi Gras. People have proposed several pagan sources for Mardi Gras. Two that stand out are Saturnalia and the Why is Mardi Gras celebrated? Mardi Gras is celebrated in many countries around the world, though mainly in places with large Roman Catholic populations. It's believed that Mardi Gras emerged from the wild ancient Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Lupercalia. These pagan celebrations involved days of feasting, masquerading, dancing, and drinking. As with many Christian holidays, the celebrations of Carnival and Mardi Gras were probably adapted in some way from pagan festivals. It may be rooted in a primitive festival celebrating the rebirth of nature; in Italy, it may be linked to the pagan Saturnalian festival of ancient Rome.[#1782] Mardi Gras Celebrations and Customs 2. Mardi Gras may or may not have pagan roots. A popular theory holds that Mardi Gras’ origins lie in ancient pagan celebrations of spring and fertility, such as Saturnalia and Lupercalia. Some Why does New Orleans celebrate Mardi Gras? Although it is a Christian holiday now, Mardi Gras is a holiday that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites, according to the 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. 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. History also suggests that before a period of fasting each year, Romans would spend a day overindulging in the things they would have to give up With Mardi Gras just around the corner I thought I'd share an excerpt from my first published book, Sacred Places of Goddess: 108 Destinations. You see, I lived the first thirty years of my life in New Orleans without a clue about the Pagan and Goddess roots of Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is not just for humans; New Orleans hosts a "Krewe of Barkus" parade, where dogs don costumes and join the fun. The largest Mardi Gras float ever built was over 330 feet long and carried more than 200 riders. Mardi Gras in Popular Culture. Mardi Gras has made its mark in popular culture, appearing in movies, music, and literature. Mardi Gras is strongly associated with wild bacchanalia and debauchery, but the original intent of the holiday and how it's kept by the faithful is much different. Fat Tuesday, as it is known in English, is a long-standing tradition of the Catholic Church and it marks the last day of ordinary time before the start of Lent, a time of fasting and Whether you’re a longtime fan of the festival or you’re just learning about it for the first time, there’s no denying the rich history and culture that surrounds this vibrant holiday. The Origins of Mardi Gras. Pagan Festivals: Mardi Gras originated from pagan spring festivals that marked the end of winter and the beginning of spring. That is, unless it's Fat Tuesday, otherwise known as Mardi Gras! Mardi Gras is a celebration held every year on the Tuesday before the Christian holy day known as Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is celebrated around the world and, in some places, is known as Carnival. In the United States, Mardi Gras is associated primarily with New Orleans. The history of Mardi Gras can be traced back to medieval Europe, when it was originally a pagan holiday.It was later adopted by the Catholic Church as a pre-Lenten celebration, and eventually made its way to the New World with French colonists. Residents of New Orleans have been celebrating Mardi Gras since the 18th century" ("Mardi Gras," Encarta). 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. “A Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon, Mardi Gras dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. Also known as Carnival, it is celebrated in many countries around the world–mainly those with large Roman Catholic populations–on the day before the religious season of Lent begins. Originally pagan spring and fertility rituals, Mardi Gras was a Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon that originated thousands of years ago. It is the first day of Lent, which is observed on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, and the first day of Holy Week.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |