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- DictionaryMar·di Gras/ˈmärdēˌɡrä/
noun
- 1. a carnival held in some countries on Shrove Tuesday, most famously in New Orleans: "the Mardi Gras parade"
Jan 25, 2010 · Mardi Gras is a pre-Lenten festival that originated from pagan spring and fertility rites and became a Christian tradition. Learn about its history, meaning, traditions and celebrations around the world, especially in New Orleans.
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Mardi Gras (UK: / ˌ m ɑːr d i ˈ ɡ r ɑː /, US: / ˈ m ɑːr d i ɡ r ɑː /; also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the final day of Carnival (also known as Shrovetide or Fastelavn); it thus falls on the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday.
May 9, 2024 · Mardi Gras, festive day celebrated in France on Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday ), which marks the close of the pre- Lenten season. The French name Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, from the custom of using all the fats in the home before Lent in preparation for fasting and abstinence. See Carnival.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Its origins can be traced to ancient times. The holiday’s roots date back thousands of years to Roman celebrations of fertility and the coming spring season.
- It goes by many names, including Shrove Tuesday… In the Middle Ages, people would use the day to acknowledge their sins in preparation for Lent. At the time, to shrive meant to confess, and so the day ultimately became known as Shrove Tuesday after the past tense of the verb.
- and Fat Tuesday… Why is Mardi Gras also called Fat Tuesday? Well, it’s simple: in French, "mardi" means Tuesday and "gras” means fat. The name is derived from the religious origins of the festival.
- and Pancake Day. In some countries—including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Canada—this gluttonous day is also called Pancake Day. In addition to abstaining from meat, the early Catholic Church prohibited people from consuming any other foods that come from “flesh,” including milk, fat, and eggs.
Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French and is the last day of the Carnival season. Learn about the origins, colors, parades, balls, and more of this New Orleans celebration.
Mardi Gras is a Carnival season celebration with cultural roots and traditions in New Orleans. Learn about the king cake, the Mardi Gras Indians, the flambeaux, the balls and more.
The holiday of Mardi Gras is celebrated in southern Louisiana, including the city of New Orleans. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and through Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday (the start of lent in the Western Christian tradition). Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, the season is known as Carnival and ...
