   History of Mardi
Gras
Every year, New Orleans shuts down and
throws the party of parties.
Everywhere else in the country, it's just another Tuesday.
But, in New Orleans, it's the Mardi Gras!
Mardi Gras is more than a celebration. It's
a state of mind.
Mardi Gras reflects and defines the clutural traditions of New Orleans.
There is a distinction, however, between Mardi Gras and Carnival.
Mardi Gras is a single day that is the climax for the Carnival season.
The Carnival season begins January 6 and runs until the beginning of Lent
which is Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras moves
from year to year but
always falls on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and 46 days before
Easter.
It can fall on any Tuesday between February 3rd and March 9th.
How Mardi Gras started is not really clear.
There are plenty of legends and stories about early Carnival.
But, it's not certain which are myth and which are fact.
The French coined the phrase Mardi Gras, which means Fat Tuesday,
and brought the holiday with them when they settled in New Orleans.
In 1857 the first true Mardi Gras was formed in New Orleans.
The club called themselves the Mystic Krewe of Comus, after the Greek god
of revelry.
Comas began the tradition of the elaborate ball and Carnival parade.
Rex, the "King of Carnival," had his first reign in 1872. His cloak
was purple,
with green rhinestones and his scepter and crown were gold.
This is where the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold
had their origin.
Mardi Gras day ends with the meetings of the courts. Upon the arrival
of Rex and his queen
at the Comas ball, the four monarchs circle the ballroom floor. At the
stroke of
midnight, Rex waves his scepter to his royal subjects and Mardi Gras
is officially over for another year.
A few other places celebrate Mardi Gras, but
no one does it like
New Orleans --- The city that care forgot!
Most of the celebrating takes place the last two weeks before Fat Tuesday.
During the season there are balls, parties, king cakes and then the parades
start to roll.
Mardi Gras
|
