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MaryM
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A friend of mine is helping to plan a support group Mardi Gras celebration this month. She asked me about the meaning behind/symbolism/history of the masks and of the beads. She found the symbolism of the colors used for the beads, but not beads themselves. I looked a bit and wasn't finding anything except info that France and Italy celebrated with masked balls (hence the masks). Does anyone have any additional information or resouces? Thanks.
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Mary M. in Denver
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rashfordmom
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Perhaps its related to the kingship of Christ?
Kings wear lots of jewelry right? 
That might be a stretch, huh? 
I am interested in other responses though. As a native of Louisiana, I've always wondered about the significance of so many of the rich cultural traditions. It seems so sad that they have lost ties to their religious roots as so many other religious holidays have also become secularized.
My husband loves Cay's signature line, "There are 49 states and then there's Louisiana." So true! I guess that's why he insists we live in GA and not there 
Blessings,
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Barb.b
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Well, I don't want to upset anyone. Just my opinion - but I always felt that mardi gras was really cultural, not a part of the liturgical calandar. We choose not to do anything with mardi gras. It really seems like a party time that sprung up right before lent. Especially in the middle ages when lent was a lot more strict. I would rather have my family begin to start thinking of lent and its meaning then to try to figure out the wierdness of mardi gras.
JMHO,
Barb
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JennGM
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Barb.b wrote:
| Well, I don't want to upset anyone. Just my opinion - but I always felt that mardi gras was really cultural, not a part of the liturgical calandar. We choose not to do anything with mardi gras. It really seems like a party time that sprung up right before lent. Especially in the middle ages when lent was a lot more strict. I would rather have my family begin to start thinking of lent and its meaning then to try to figure out the wierdness of mardi gras. |
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Of course you're not doing anything wrong, so I'm NOT trying to convince you to have Pre-Lent parties. But I do have to disagree with you about the cultural thing. Mardi Gras usually recalls the celebration they do in New Orleans, and yes it's the culture down there. What makes the headlines is ugly, but there is a good, family friendly side. But I will say in almost every culture there is a "Carnival" celebration. Read Maria Von Trapp's Chapter on Carnival. I can find fastnachts, paczki, King Cake, doughnuts, pancakes, Fet Tisdags Bullar, Faschingskrapfen, Salsiccia con Peperoni, blintzes, and crepes and oh so many more cultural recipes from around the world to mark Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday.
The funny thing I've found is that in the Middle Ages, when things were most strict during penitential seasons the partying was more raucous and baudy for feasts and pre-season time. Lots of abuses showed up during that time. One that comes to mind is the Paradise Plays, which had to be removed from practicing in the churches because of the abuse.
Anyway, saying goodbye to meat (Carne-vale) makes more sense when you are more penitential than when the transition from Ordinary Time to Lent has no physical or spiritual change in your life.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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missionfamily
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Having grown up in New Orleans, I can attest that there are two sides to Mardi Gras. As a mom trying to live the liturgy with her family, I explain to my kids that while Lent is a solemn and penitent season, we live it as a post-redemption people, in an awareness of the Joy of the Resurrection. So we celebrate that joy the day before Lent begins in a reminder of such...we are not only preparing for the passion, but for the Joy of the Resurrection as well.
Okay, that being said, I have no idea why we throw and catch beads and trinkets except that the official season of Mardi Gras begins on Twelfth Night,so maybe the gifts and crowns are symbolic of Epiphany. Even if they aren't, that's what I'll tell my kids.
King's Cake is definitely symbolic of such--braided dough (three in one--for three kings and the Trinity) and the search for a hidden baby (baby Jesus).
Here in the rural Cajun areas of Louisiana, the tradition is for masked riders on horseback to take through town begging for chickens and other ingedients for the last meal with meat before the Lenten season. It is a much more wholesome, fun tradition, adapted from European culture.
I believe the idea of being masked in the New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition is so that no one knows your identity on this day revelry so that you can safely and humbly enter Lent with a penitent spirit.
My main (and very wordy ) point being...enjoy the traditions with your family and infuse them with the traditions of our faith...and don't worry about what and why people are doing on the streets of the French Quarter.
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MaryM
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Thanks for your thoughts everyone, I'll pass them along to my friend. I almost didn't put this topic in Domestic Church because in my seaching and not finding much info, I figured the beads and masks didn't have much significant religious symbolism history (but I was hoping  ). I did decide to ask it inthis particular thread ultimately for the reasons that Jenn mentioned - the practice of celebrating "carnevale" is very much a part of our faith. Some traditions have a symbolism in our faith though ultimatley others do seem to stem more from cultural or regional expression.
Something I did find was the use of masks at Venitian Carnivale as early as 12th or 13th century. In some places it is mentioned that wearing masks seemed to abolish all social division or that masks provided anonymity. One could see how that could either be for the purpose of like Colleen menioned "no one knows your identity on this day revelry so that you can safely and humbly enter Lent with a penitent spirit" or alternatively for anonymity in indulgent behavior which would not have been condoned by our faith but an element that is often present unfortunately.
The origins of the name carnival as Jenn explained, I have always found interesting. It is such a common word for public celebration and most people have no idea of its meaning or origin.
This is a children's picture book I ran across a few years ago that shares the traditions of Carnival in Peru. The pictures are beautiful folk art arpilleras (three-dimensional fabric wall hangings). -Tonight is Carnival
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Mary M. in Denver
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MaryM
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Oh, and the bead thing from everything I can find is strictly a New Orleans Mardi Gras origination.
"Baubles have been tossed off floats since at least 1871, when a masker costumed as Santa Claus aboard float No. 24 in the Twelfth Night Revelers parade dispensed gifts to the crowd." Arthur Hardy, Mardi Gras historian
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Mary M. in Denver
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JennGM
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I didn't even answer your first question, Mary, but what you found was exactly all I could contribute. The masks seem to be a connection to the masked carnival in Venice, which is older than New Orleans' revelry.
Did you find the meaning of the colors other than this explanation? Did you find a more liturgical connection?
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Mary G
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And Mardi Gras (or Fat Tuesday) is a traditional celebration in many Catholic countries throughout the world -- like Christmas, though, it has been taken over by the secular-side a bit, but there is still a family-oriented aspect (as JennGM mentioned) of gathering together and feasting from Epiphany (when Carnivale or Mardi Gras celebrations start) until the night before Ash Wednesday ... enjoying the feast before the famine. In Austria, it was wonderfully celebrated in the villages, but in the big cities, was starting to get out of hand like in New Orleans ...
I'd agree that the beads and other decorations (crowns, etc) are tied to THE King. The colors of Mardi Gras -- purple and gold and green -- are traditional "royalty" colors. The masks are a symbol of throwing off our old selves and being renewed through Lenten sacrifices. The foods and drinking were also a reasonable way to purge the house of luxury items in preparation for Lenten sacrifices.
Hope that helps.
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Mardi Gras symbolism
