The Catholic History of Mardi Gras

Most people think of Mardi Gras as a big party in New Orleans, but its roots predate the white man's arrival in the New World by many centuries. It actually stems from Christian traditions--specifically Catholic traditions--and can be found in numerous other predominantly Catholic countries such as France and Brazil. Mardi Gras arose out of early Christendom's need to blend its holy traditions with earlier pagan ceremonies--the same need that produced the Christmas tree and the Easter bunny, among other cultural icons--and its history reflects a distinctly Catholic sense of duality.

Roots

Mardi Gras most likely began as an ancient Roman celebration known as Lupercalia. It took place every February, and honored the Roman god of fertility. As such, it involved a lot of feasting, drinking and fornicating, a fact which may have contributed to the rise of the word "carnival" (which closely resembles a Latin phrase meaning "farewell to the flesh").

Early Catholicism

As Christianity spread, it found itself running up against pagan traditions of the people it hoped to convert. To ease the transition, it adopted many pagan traditions and revamped them to fit Christian theology. In the case of Lupercalia, the festival dovetailed quite nicely into the notion of Lent: 40 days of fasting and sacrifice before Easter Sunday. The festival could thus be seen as a "last hurrah" before Lent, allowing it to remain in place without disrupting Catholic traditions.

The French

As Catholicism spread throughout Europe, the tradition of Mardi Gras cemented its status in France. The name "Mardi Gras" means "Fat Tuesday" in French: the last day before Lent, when all perishable foods such as milk and eggs need to be eaten. The French also incorporated the tradition of King's Cake into Mardi Gras. King's Cake was celebrated on Twelfth Night (January 6), the traditional start of Mardi Gras: cakes were baked in a circle, representing the route the Three Wise Men took to throw off pursuers when they arrived at Christ's birth. Early cakes often held coins or beans in the center: anticipating the trinkets associated with Mardi Gras.

The New World

Catholic Frenchmen brought Mardi Gras to the New World in 1699, when the explorer Iberville landed at Point du Mardi Gras on the banks of the Mississippi. New Orleans, which was under French rule in the days before the Revolution, became a centerpiece for Mardi Gras celebration: masked balls and public celebrations were common sites and quickly became a cultural tradition regardless of whether the celebrants were Catholic or not.

Modern Incarnations

The Spanish eventually took control of New Orleans, and their brand of Catholicism was less freewheeling than the French. They banned masked celebrations, and the ban continued when the U.S. obtained the territory in 1803. It might have remained in place had not local Creoles convinced the governor to lift the ban in 1823. The first Mardi Gras parade took place in 1837, and the first krewe (organizations which host Mardi Gras floats and balls) appeared in 1857. The Catholic trappings continued to surround Mardi Gras in the ensuing century and a half, but eventually was so interwoven in New Orleans' culture that its origins within the Catholic Church were often obscured.