What's the connection between Fat Tuesday and Christianity?

Eileen Zaffiro-Kean, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·3 min read
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DAYTONA BEACH — Everybody has heard of Mardi Gras, a period of full-throttle partying that ends after the grand finale on Fat Tuesday.

The giant train float Smokey Mary chugs down Napoleon Avenue as the 1,400 men and women of the Krewe of Orpheus present a 38-float Mardi Gras parade entitled "The Orpheus Imaginarium" on the Uptown parade route in New Orleans on Monday, March 4, 2019.
The giant train float Smokey Mary chugs down Napoleon Avenue as the 1,400 men and women of the Krewe of Orpheus present a 38-float Mardi Gras parade entitled "The Orpheus Imaginarium" on the Uptown parade route in New Orleans on Monday, March 4, 2019.

But some people are a little fuzzy on what Mardi Gras is rooted in, and what Christians do from the day after Fat Tuesday until Easter Sunday, a period known as Lent.

For those who don't already know, this year Fat Tuesday was Feb. 21 and Ash Wednesday was Feb. 22, the day Lent began. Easter this year will fall on April 9.

Now that all the partying is over, another Mardis Gras is in the rearview mirror and Christians around the world have recognized Ash Wednesday, some may be wondering, what does it all mean?

Here's a quick explanation of what millions of Christians observe between Mardi Gras beads and jellybeans.

What exactly is Lent?

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends approximately six weeks later. Depending on the Christian denomination and local custom, Lent concludes either on the evening of Maundy Thursday or at sundown on Holy Saturday when the Easter Vigil is celebrated.

Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox religious communities skip Fat Tuesday and begin Lent two days early on what they call Clean Monday.

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Lent is the solemn Christian religious observance commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert fasting, praying and enduring temptation from Satan before beginning his public ministry.

Hundreds of worshippers gather on the beach in Daytona at sunrise on Easter Sunday to celebrate and commemorate the rising of Jesus Christ. April 17, 2022
Hundreds of worshippers gather on the beach in Daytona at sunrise on Easter Sunday to celebrate and commemorate the rising of Jesus Christ. April 17, 2022

Back up. What is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer, fasting and church services. Many observe the day by abstaining from meat, not eating between meals, going to church, beginning 40 days of daily prayer and starting abstinence of favorite foods until Easter Sunday.

At church services on Ash Wednesday, priests and pastors use the ashes of burned palm fronds to mark the shape of a cross on congregants' foreheads. While gently smearing on the ashes, the religious leaders will say something about repenting or remembering that you come from dust, and to dust you shall return.

What do Christians do during Lent?

Lent is a period of serious spiritual reflection that ends with the celebration of Easter. The purpose of Lent is to prepare for Easter, and many Christians do that through prayer, repentance for sins, donating to the needy and worthy causes, fasting and self-denial such as giving up desserts or alcohol.

Catholics often don't eat meat on Fridays throughout Lent, and some attend extra church services focused on Lent.

Maria Villalpondo, 81, receives ashes by altar server Jim Petersen during a Mass on Ash Wednesday at SS. Simon & Jude Cathedral in Phoenix on Feb. 22, 2023.
Maria Villalpondo, 81, receives ashes by altar server Jim Petersen during a Mass on Ash Wednesday at SS. Simon & Jude Cathedral in Phoenix on Feb. 22, 2023.

Many Lent-observing Christians also add a Lenten spiritual discipline such as reading the Bible every day, saying the Rosary and observing the Stations of the Cross.

So how does Fat Tuesday fit into Lent?

Fat Tuesday is the last hurrah of indulgence and excess before committing to a very pious and self-disciplined six-week period that begins on Ash Wednesday.

Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, and it's rooted in the time when Christians would finish off all the sugar, lard and red meat in their homes so they could abstain from those things until Easter.

Enjoy king cake and other yummy treats during Mardi Gras.
Enjoy king cake and other yummy treats during Mardi Gras.

Some Christians prepared pancakes to deplete their stock of eggs, milk, butter and fat, giving rise to Pancake Day in England. As the tradition spread through Europe, it became Mardi Gras in France, where waffles and crepes are prepared as part of a lavish feast.

In New Orleans, Mardi Gras Central in the United States for decades, people indulge in king cake, shrimp and grits, and other Southern comfort food.

Not to be outdone, Brazil also has its massive multi-day Carnival celebration with street parties, parades, balls, costumes and dancing just before Lent.

You can reach Eileen at Eileen.Zaffiro@news-jrnl.com

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Mardis Gras, Lent, Ash Wednesday and Easter. What's the connection?