Mardi Gras and Some of the Festivals Celebrated In the World

How would you like to learn about some of the colorful festivals used in different parts of the world and religious rituals?

Mardi Gras

"Mardi Gras" comes from French and means "Fat Tuesday." This means Shrove Tuesday, the last day before Ash Wednesday when Lent traditionally begins before Easter. Catholic settlers from France brought the tradition to the United States, where it soon spread across the country from the southern states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

How long do Mardi Gras celebrations last in New Orleans?

The Mardi Gras parade is always held on Shrove Tuesday, but carnival in New Orleans - as here - naturally takes longer. So Mardi Gras is the culmination of carnival celebrations in the southern metropolis before the “wonderful days” end and the traditional Easter season begins.

During the Mardi Gras parade, strings of colored beads called "beads" are distributed. Different colors have different meanings: green represents hope, purple represents justice, and gold represents power. Chains are thrown from buoys to visitors and are popular memories of the hustle and bustle of New Orleans.

The culinary highlight of Mardi Gras is the so-called "King Cake" - aka "Three Kings Cake." Often mottled in the green, purple, and gold colors of Mardi Gras, this specialty consists of leavened dough and is usually garnished or filled with fruit, depending on the region.

Whatever the recipe, one thing is always the same in King Cake: a small object is baked into the dough. This is usually a tiny baby figure, but it can also be an almond, a bean, a coin, or similar. The person who finds the object while eating the cake becomes the symbolic king for one day and can host the next King Cake party.

Maslenitsa- Butter Week in Russia

Butter Week (Maslenitsa) is a traditional Russian holiday celebrated at the end of winter. The festival lasts for a week. The festival's start date changes every year because the date is from the beginning of the festival to Borrow. Butter Week is one of the funniest and happiest celebrations in Russia.

Each day of the week on Maslenitsa has its meaning: Monday is the day of greeting. Tuesday is game day. The most delicious delicacies are served on Wednesdays. After that comes Great Thursday. Friday is the mother-in-law's night when the grooms are invited to their mother-in-law's house. Saturday is relatives day. Relatives are visited, and gifts are given to each other. Sunday is the most important day of Maslenitsa week. This is forgiveness. Believers ask Allah's forgiveness for all their sins. On Sunday, the Maslenitsa doll is also cremated, and people look forward to next spring.

St. Patrick's Day in Ireland

Irish National Day commemorating the Irish Bishop Patrick is 17 March. St. Patrick is an ever-present legend here - many children, streets, and squares are named after him. Many people wear green. It is the national color of Ireland. We organize a significant event in the city center, move out, and a giant street party every year. There are street musicians, performers, pantomime artists, rock concerts, an amusement park, a Ferris wheel, fantastic fireworks, and much more.

Licitar Hearts from Croatia

In Croatia - especially in the country's north - Christmas trees are often decorated with Licitar hearts. Licitar hearts are a traditional Croatian product that has even been included in UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list for its uniqueness and originality. Colorfully decorated, bright red hearts made of honey paste are edible but mainly used for decoration or given as gifts.

Brazilian Junina Festival

If you see colorful flags, ballads, dances, games, bonfires, mulled wine, cornmeal and peanut candy, boys in plaid shirts and straw hats, and girls in flowery dresses, know that you are in Brazil, June 24, Festa Junina - John the Baptist day. It is Brazil's second-largest festival.

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