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Once
again my curiosity got the better
of me…so where did I turn? The
Internet. In lue of the
upcoming celebration(s) in downtown
Jackson and of course New Orleans
(celebrating their 150th anniversary
of Mardi Gras this year) I wanted
to learn the history behind
Mardi Gras.
Originally
this celebration was deemed
simply “Carnival”. It
originated in the middle ages
in Rome when the Fast of the
40 days of Lent was preceded
by a feast of several days during
which time participants delivered
themselves up to voluntary madness,
put on masks, clothed themselves
as spectres (ghosts), gave themselves
up to Bacchus (god of wine)
and Venus (goddess of love)
and considered all pleasure
allowable.
Lent
is the forty-day period before
Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday.
Skip Sundays when you count
the forty days, because Sundays
commemorate the Resurrection.
This year Lent begins on 1 March
2006 and ends on 15 April 2006,
which is the day before Easter.
In the Roman Catholic
Church, Lent officially ends
at sundown on 13 April (Holy
Thursday), with the beginning
of the mass of the Lord’s Supper.
Since Easter is based
on Lunar cycles and the Gregorian
calendar it falls on a different
date every year, hence the date
of Mardi Gras varies.
Mardi
Gras (which in France means
“Grease” or "Fat Tuesday")
is the day before Ash Wednesday,
and is also called "Shrove
Tuesday" or “Pancake Day”,
the final day of Carnival. It’s
also a day of celebration as
well as penitence, because it's
the last day before Lent.
Lent
is a time of abstinence, of
giving things up. So “Shrove
Tuesday” is the last chance
to indulge yourself and to use
up the
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foods
that aren't allowed in Lent.
Pancakes are eaten on this day
because they contain fat, butter
and eggs which were forbidden
during Lent.
Interestingly
enough…I discovered that the
last three or four days before
the beginning of Lent is known
as “Shrovetide”. The old names
for these days were: “Egg
Saturday”, “Quinquagesima Sunday”
(simply meaning the Sunday before
Lent), “Collop Monday” (the
day on which all meat left in
the larder would be used up)
and “Shrove Tuesday” (the day
on which all fats, cream and
eggs had to be used up).
So
now that we’re all a bit more
“in the know” regarding the
basis of Mardi Gras be sure
to join us downtown for “Mardi
Gras Fabulous Friday” coming
up February 24th from 7p-9p
when various downtown businesses
will be hosting parties of their
own followed by the annual Mardi
Gras party at the Downtown Tavern
starting at 9pm. Be sure
to don your favorite costume
because yes, we’ll be voting
on the King and Queen of downtown
starting around 9:30pm. On
“Collop Monday” (February 27th)
WNWS 101.5 and Friends to Friends
will be hosting a Mardi Gras
Ball at the Civic Center where
another King and Queen will
be named, and of course on Fat
Tuesday (February 28th) the
annual downtown parade starts
at 12 noon.
For
more information call Jackson
Downtown Development at 427-7573.
Dickson
is the owner of The Dickson
Gallery of Fine Art at 118 E
Lafayette Street. She may be
contacted by email at rachel@dicksongallery.com
or by phone at 423-9708.
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