What is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras is a French term, which literally translates into
“Fat Tuesday”. It’s based on a religious event, and falls on the Tuesday before
Lent begins in the Christian Calendar, also known as Shrove Tuesday. The
Wednesday is known as Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of fasting in the
run up to Easter, 46 days later.
In order to prepare for all those days of fasting, many
people would traditionally eat a lot of fatty food in the run up to Lent, and
particularly on the last day – hence “Fat Tuesday”. Obvious really.
In many parts of the world, Mardi Gras has grown into a
celebration in its own right, with carnival celebrations happening all over the
world.
The US custom of celebrating Mardi Gras started in Mobile,
Alabama in 1703 by a Frenchman. Mobile still holds Mardi Gras celebrations
throughout the year (and has an excellent Mardi Gras museum), but New Orleans
has definitely eclipsed Mobile as the US capital of Mardi Gras now.
Most famous of these is Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and the
Rio Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where hundreds of thousands of people
descend on the cities in question to have a good time and take part in the
festivities.
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