A Season of Tradition: Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday and Lent

It’s that time of year again! The Carnival season is upon us with amazing festivities ahead prior to Lent! All over the world, streets will be filled with parades, masquerades, and circuses, all lined with people dressed in brightly-colored masks and costumes. The season’s begin date varies from region to region, and takes place anywhere from November to the first Sunday before Ash Wednesday. The finale of the season commences on Fat Tuesday, better known as Mardi Gras. Ash Wednesday follows Fat Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent. Indeed, this is a time of great importance for many people around the world.

Lent is a religious time lasting 44 days according to the Catholic Church, and 46 days according to Western Christianity, in which believers prepare themselves for the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. But during Lent, the six Sundays that occur during this time frame are not accounted for because they were viewed as holy days, a celebration of Jesus’ triumph over death and sin.  Believers also partake in fasting, almsgiving and prayer during this sacred time leading up to Easter.  Ash Wednesday “kicks off” Lent and includes the rituals of placing crosses made of ash and oils on the foreheads of believers to signify repentance before God.  These crosses remain until they naturally wear off.  

In the United States, Mardi Gras is notoriously found in New Orleans, Louisiana, Biloxi, Mississippi, and Mobile, Alabama because of the French colonial history of this region. In the late 1700s, Mardi Gras was introduced to America by two brothers, Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, when they were sent to the Louisiane territory by King Louis XIV to defend France’s claim to that land. Their mission to protect began on the evening of March 2, 1699, Lunar Gras, when they entered the mouth of the Mississippi River not knowing that this area had already been explored and claimed by France in 1683. They continued upstream, about 60 miles down river from present-day New Orleans and set up camp on March 3, 1699. This spot was named Point du Mardi Gras by Iberville to commemorate Mardi Gras Day and the tributary was named Bayou Mardi Gras. Bienville pressed on with the mission and in 1702 established the settlement of Mobile, Alabama as the first French capital. And, by 1703, the settlers of this city began celebrating the traditions of Mardi Gras. Years later, in 1720, Biloxi became the capital of French Louisiana and all French customs were introduced during that time. New Orleans, established in 1718, soon became the capital of Louisiana in 1723 and the traditions intensified so much that it made New Orleans famous, giving it the nickname “The Big Easy”.

Very few traditions and holidays can be truly shared among different countries of the world and Mardi Gras/Ash Wednesday is one of them. From Rio de Janeiro to Mexico to the United States and beyond, this holiday season has been celebrated for over 300 years and seems to expand its celebratory grounds with each passing year.