Today is Mardi Gras. The day before Ash Wednesday. In my neck of the woods, Mardi Gras is a much celebrated holiday. I got yesterday and today off from work just in case I had any inclination to join in the hoop-la that surely ensued.

But what is Mardi Gras? Where did it come from? Why should we celebrate it? Or should we celebrate it?

One parish web-site from Louisana has this to say:

The history of Mardi Gras began long before Europeans set foot in the New World. In mid February the ancient Romans celebrated the Lupercalia, a circus like festival not entirely unlike the Mardi Gras we are familiar with today. When Rome embraced Christianity, the early Church fathers decided it was better to incorporate certain aspects of pagan rituals into the new faith rather than attempt to abolish them altogether. Carnival became a period of abandon and merriment that preceded the penance of Lent, thus giving a Christian interpretation to the ancient custom.

This seems to have been the origin of several Christian holidays though. Christmas, Easter….they were all Christians adopting holy days of pagans and adding a Christian reason for celebrating.

I grew up being told that Mardi Gras was related to the Catholic holiday Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent. I grew up in a small town with a small Catholic population. I really only knew a few Catholics and they were not very devout at all.

Of couse, they celebrated Mardi Gras, but then, everyone else seemed to celebrate it as well. (Mardi Gras is huge along the Gulf Coast region with New Orleans being the Mecca of Mardi Gras….a mere hour and a half away from me!)

As I went to college, I met other members of the Catholic church, much more devout than the few I grew up with. I realized then that Mardi Gras was much more important to the frat boys on campus than the devout Catholic friends I was making. One friend of mine scorned it completey. She would have no part. And all this time I was convinced it was some Holy Day for Catholicism.

One other thing I realized as I grew older (I did figure this one out before college!) was that people everywhere did not celebrate Mardi Gras. In fact, it seemed that people in other regions of the country barely knew what Mardi Gras was.

If this is such an important day for Catholics, it seemed many were not celebrating….I began wondering. What is it about Mardi Gras?

One Louisana magazine has this to say:

South Louisiana’s first recorded use of the name Mardi Gras was in 1699 when Pierre le Moyne, Sieur D’Iberville, landed at the mouth of a small bayou along the Mississippi River on Tuesday, March 2, and named it Bayou du Mardi Gras. The people of this area have been celebrating Carnival in one manner or another ever since.

Which explains the geographical region of the Gulf Coast being Mardi Gras main stomping ground. But if this truly were a religous holiday, why would it not be celebrated everywhere Roman Catholics worship? Which, as far as I know, would pretty much be all over America….all over the world…

It appears that Chistians attempted to “civilize” this pagan celebration by tying it to lent. (This also from Slidell Magazine)

The Christians revived the original feeling of atonement in their spring rites of feasting before the Lenten Season of abstinence and contrition for sins. These Christians titled this celebration “carnelevare” or “farewell to the flesh,” because no meat would be eaten during the Lenten Season.

It seems that it only really became a hit as a big time of celebration in France:

The French gradually began celebrating the season and by the Middle Ages it was in full swing. They began masquerading at lavish balls and also introduced the “boe of gras,” a huge bull which was paraded through the streets. Their name for Carnival became the official title for the celebration all over the world, “Mardi Gras.” It means Fat Tuesday.

And as stated before, was brought to the Gulf Coast by the French explorer, D’Iberville, bringing Mardi Gras to the Gulf Coast.

I e-mailed a fellow blogger of the Catholic faith, just to make sure our version of Mardi Gras was not some twisted version of a real holiday. Although she wasn’t certain of the origin of Mardi Gras she definately does not celebrate it.

Which leads me to believe that Mardi Gras is not a Christian holiday of any sort. It is much closer related to the pagan holidays of ancient Rome as described here. (Still from Slidell Magazine):

The origin of Mardi Gras is in the pagan feast of the Greeks’ celebration for the coming spring. Evander, son of Hermes, was a mythical Greek king who settled near Rome and is credited with bringing this ritual to Italy. The Romans called it “februa,” which means “acts of atonement.” The spirit of contrition (carried out by naked people being whipped by a priest) was gradually corrupted by the Romans into public lewdness and debauchery.

Which is much like what happens at the Mardi Gras parades along the Gulf Coast. Although the parades here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast do not allow nudity, it seems that New Orleans parades aren’t as prudish. Generally, anything goes. Yet the theme of most parades, anywhere along the Gulf Coast tends to be to get as drunk as possible and collect the largest amount of beads, at any cost. Did I mention at any cost? (Disclaimer: there are several parades that try to be more family friendly and safe for kids….)

How do I know?

I must admit to having celebrated Mardi Gras, at least a little bit in my past.

I grew up in a Christian home where Mardi Gras was looked down on. As a child/teenager I was not allowed to attend Mardi Gras parades (even family friendly ones). I think I twirled baton in one in second grade but other than that I don’t recall ever going to a parade until I was in college.

My sophomore year in college I went on a day trip to New Orleans. It was a whole three weeks before Mardi Gras, at least. Yet we ran into a parade. We had a great time and wondered why we hadn’t participated in this all along. (And I didn’t see anyone flash the floats for beads.)

So, we made plans to attend several Mardi Gras festivities that year (believe me there were plenty to choose from.) So we spent the weekend before Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Mardi Gras day at several parades in Biloxi.

So yeah. The above quote about the ancient celebrations in Rome fit nicely.

So, should Christians have anything to do with a holiday like Mardi Gras?

My daughter asked me this year why we didn’t celebrate Mardi Gras. I guess I never really thought about it other than I didn’t want my children around all the wild revelry that accompanies the parades and balls. Her question was why we couldn’t go to some of the parades that were for kids.

This hasn’t really been something I’ve ever thought of before. That is why I asked my readers what their opinion of Mardi Gras was. (And because I wanted to see just how geographical the carnival was…and whether anyone saw any real religious significance in it). (I’m not gonna quote the people who really didn’t know anything about it. You can read all comments from What Are Your Thoughts on Mardi Gras here.)

So I want to share a few comments from my readers with my opinion thrown in….

Laura says:

Okay, here is what I know about Mardi Gras. It starts with something called Fat Tuesday (or does it end with it?); there might be something involving a King cake with a baby in it, but that might be some other occasion. What else… oh yeah, there is lots of drinking and cavorting, shiny beads which people want badly enough to flash strangers for, and lots of pick-pocketing. How’s that for stellar ignorance and stereotyping?

Not bad actually. Just about sums it up.

Mopsy says:

The first word that popped in my head was “hedonism”. Unfortunately. My only experience is watching glimpses on the TV news and everyone appears to be very intoxicated and half-naked.

Yep. They do appear to be that way don’t they? It’s probably because most of them are.

And from the recently moved from up north to the Gulf Coast mother, Princess Ruby says:

I had heard of it growing up in Michigan, but didn’t know what it was in the least. Not until I moved down here did I educate myself on it, being that it goes on and on for the longest time. There are millions of parades you can take your family to, every store has Mardi Gras stuff to sell, you see people’s beads hanging all over the place. It is ridiculous to me. We do not celebrate it. After I read up on what it is a bit more I thought it best to steer clear of it (and of course dh thought so too). Why go and sin on Fat Tuesday only to ‘repent’ the next day? Why take part in even a little part of it (say taking the family to a parade)? We will have no part in it. Having even a little part of celebrating such a ‘heathen holiday’ (in my mind) is like celebrating all of it. We’re supposed to have NO part of the world. To me, its such a part of the world. I think it sad to see so many Christians celebrating it. I think it is so wrong. That is just me though. Maybe it was began to mean well, I’m not certain, but it certainly hasn’t turned out that way now….Hope these thoughts make sense, I’m trying to steer my children in the right direction while I type my thoughts!

Must be culture shock to move down here and experience Mardi Gras for the first time! (If you are a Christian, that is…)

Now, from a reader of mine who actually grew up in New Orleans. Carol has this to say:

My enormous family lives in N.O. They all celebrate it and I grew up celebrating with them even though I’ve never lived in N.O. or anywhere close. We went in for visits at Carnival time. As kids, we had a blast watching parades and catching beads. The family always gathered at my aunt’s house – on the parade route – and did a huge crawfish boil, gumbo, etc.

It could still be a lot of fun if it wasn’t so heavily steeped in hedonism and debauchery and if I wasn’t a Christian. It’s funny how our perception of what’s fun changes once we surrender our will to His. Anyway, I’ve taken the kids a couple of times and still watch parades on my aunt’s front lawn, but it’s not like the revelry down in the Quarter; much more tame and family-oriented. (No clue when we’ll ever try to go back for Carnival under the circumstances.)

I usually do have a king cake sent from N.O. (not this year – just bought a local knock-off instead – it’s not very good) and I let the kids wear beads to school on Fat Tuesday. Half of everyone here is clueless about Mardi Gras and nobody celebrates it.

The reason I participate in this little way is to honor my heritage, however questionable. I think it’s important to teach my kids about traditions of their forefathers – but I make sure they know the downside as well.

And yeah, it makes no sense to engage in hedonism one day and go to confession the next.

I was so glad to have Carol’s perspective. Someone who grew up celebrating this holiday. And I can understand where she is coming from about passing on heritage. I think she made some great points (and King Cake is delicious…)But the key phrase from her comment was this:

It makes no sense to engage in hedonism one day and go to confession the next.

That is one of my biggest problems with Mardi Gras. The idea that you are about to have to give up something (for Lent) and so you better live it up on Fat Tuesday and enjoy all the things of the flesh before you become “spiritual”. And I’ve noticed that devout Catholics (or others who celebrate Lent, find no need for this feeding the flesh one last time….)

And Rev-Ed adds:

Great Lakes region. Nobody cares about Mardi Gras here unless they are looking for an excuse to get drunk. (The same people will also celebrate Arbor Day and Be Kind to Animals Week in the same fashion.)

The idea always seemed so ridiculous to me. The day before we give up certain things, we’ll go out and get so sick of them that we won’t miss them for the first week! Take some of that “religious edge” off the whole thing.

I’ve thought the same thing about the people who celebrate Mardi Gras here. Even though here more people do it, it’s not for any religous reason. It’s looking for an excuse to particiapate in debauchery.

So, my reason for not celebrating Mardi Gras, or even taking my daughter to one of the (few) child friendly parades….

I don’t want to be a part of celebrating a holiday that’s main point seems to be pleasing the flesh. Whether a small participant, or a big one, I feel like it’s something that Christian are best to steer clear of!

1 Thessalonians 5:22 states that we should:

Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Read the whole chapter here.

I’m pretty sure that would include Mardi Gras celebrations….

Now, feel free to comment and let me know if I’ve got this all wrong! Tell me what you think about Christians celebrating Mardi Gras (if you haven’t already). Or if you have something to add, well, feel free to add it!

And meanwhile, Happy Fat Tuesday.