Mardi Gras, otherwise known as Fat Tuesday, is a festival celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is basically a big party, known to be celebrated to the extremes in New Orleans. It’s a good thing for New Orleans though because it brings them A LOT of money from tourists.
Mardi Gras actually originated in ancient Rome. They celebrated a circus like festival called the Lupercalia. When the Romans became Catholic, they decided that it was better to incorporate their traditions into the religion instead of getting rid of them completely. So, they placed the Lupercalia so that it was leading up to Lent. This way, they could have their merry festival with a religious purpose.
Obviously, Mardi Gras did not stay in Rome. I don’t know how it got to Paris, but it had been celebrated there as a major holiday since the Middle Ages. A French explorer named Iberville then brought it over to America when he came in 1699. Iberville sailed into the Gulf of Mexico where he started an exploration of the Mississippi River. By March 3rd of 1699 he had set up a camp on the river bank about sixty miles south of the current New Orleans. March 3rd is the day that Mardi Gras is usually celebrated in France and so Iberville named his camping site Point du Mardi Gras.
When the Spanish conquered New Orleans during the late 1700’s, they banned the Mardi Gras tradition. It wasn’t until the US took over New Orleans that they were able to continue the festivals. Through the years, many people tried to ban the Mardi Gras festival because they considered it violent. Obviously though, the festival has withstood the many haters and is still around today.
Since the Mardi Gras tradition started in the United States, it has developed many of its own customs such as the King Cake, the purple, green, and gold colors, beads, and random truck drivers. Mardi Gras is considered to be the day before lent where you get out all of your sins and then start a “religious binge” for the next forty days. It is a massive party that thousands of people have a blast at. (373)
Information found at http://www.eastjeffersonparish.com/culture/MARDIGRA/HISTORY/history.htm
Mardi Gras actually originated in ancient Rome. They celebrated a circus like festival called the Lupercalia. When the Romans became Catholic, they decided that it was better to incorporate their traditions into the religion instead of getting rid of them completely. So, they placed the Lupercalia so that it was leading up to Lent. This way, they could have their merry festival with a religious purpose.
Obviously, Mardi Gras did not stay in Rome. I don’t know how it got to Paris, but it had been celebrated there as a major holiday since the Middle Ages. A French explorer named Iberville then brought it over to America when he came in 1699. Iberville sailed into the Gulf of Mexico where he started an exploration of the Mississippi River. By March 3rd of 1699 he had set up a camp on the river bank about sixty miles south of the current New Orleans. March 3rd is the day that Mardi Gras is usually celebrated in France and so Iberville named his camping site Point du Mardi Gras.
When the Spanish conquered New Orleans during the late 1700’s, they banned the Mardi Gras tradition. It wasn’t until the US took over New Orleans that they were able to continue the festivals. Through the years, many people tried to ban the Mardi Gras festival because they considered it violent. Obviously though, the festival has withstood the many haters and is still around today.
Since the Mardi Gras tradition started in the United States, it has developed many of its own customs such as the King Cake, the purple, green, and gold colors, beads, and random truck drivers. Mardi Gras is considered to be the day before lent where you get out all of your sins and then start a “religious binge” for the next forty days. It is a massive party that thousands of people have a blast at. (373)
Information found at http://www.eastjeffersonparish.com/culture/MARDIGRA/HISTORY/history.htm
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