Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday

Noisy and cheerful, Mardi Gras is a popular Christian holiday and cultural phenomenon that originates from ancient Roman pagan rites dedicated to spring and fertility, when residents of all classes indulged in unbridled fun According to historians, when Christianity came to the Roman Empire, religious leaders adopted popular local holidays because it was much easier to adopt these traditions than to abolish them As a result, the excess of entertainment during the Mardi Gras season became a prelude to 40 days of abstinence Later, the custom of celebrating the last days before Lent spread from Rome to other European countries Mardi Gras is celebrated all over the world, mostly in countries with Catholic populations In each country or city over many centuries, the festival has acquired its own traditions and rituals The luxurious carnival in Brazil attracts tourists from all over the world Huge crowds of people flock to Italy to watch the Carnival in Venice, which dates back to the 13th century, when famous costume balls were held here A grandiose winter carnival in Canada, a traditional festival with gay pride parades in Australia, and a funny custom in Denmark when costumed children go begging for candy, for which their parents are obliged to traditionally flog them on the morning of Easter Sunday No less fun and colorful costume parades take place in Austria and Germany, with a cheerful tradition that allows women to cut off men's ties on this day In the United States, the holiday took place on March 3, 1699, when French navigators landed in what is now the state of Louisiana They had a little party to celebrate Mardi Gras In the decades that followed, New Orleans celebrated the holiday with street parties, masquerades and lavish dinners In 1827, on the day of Mardi Gras, a group of students in colorful costumes imitated Parisian revelries and danced in the streets of New Orleans Ten years later, the first recorded parade began an annual tradition in the city Louisiana is the only state in which Mardi Gras is an official holiday, although carnival fun is organized in other states with their own rituals and scenarios In French, Mardi Gras is translated as “Fat Tuesday” This day is the final day after a whole week of abundant feasts and uncontrollable fun The carnivals that accompany the holiday get their name from the Latin word “carnelevarium”, which means “farewell to meat” The holiday of Mardi Gras is usually celebrated on Tuesdays, before Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Catholic Lent On this day, the fun ends, a solemn and bright time begins, when Catholic believers cleanse their souls and bodies and prepare to celebrate the great holiday of Easter