A stupid question about religion/easter/lent/mardi gras

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maybe somebody knows the answer or maybe there is no answer, but how come there doesn't seem to be the same sort of whoop-up carousal surrounding the END of LENT as there is surrounding the beginning of LENT?
Like, Mardi Gras is folks getting in their last kicks before they have to be good for Lent so that Jesus won't come back and be all like, "THIS PLACE FELL APART W/O ME! WTF PEOPLE!"
But once he comes back, and Lent is lifted, how come nobody's all, "Finally, I can show my titties on the streets again!"

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:13 (twenty years ago)

but how come there doesn't seem to be the same sort of whoop-up carousal surrounding the END of LENT as there is surrounding the beginning of LENT?

it's called easter.

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:16 (twenty years ago)

It's called Jazzfest.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:16 (twenty years ago)

But Easter isn't quite a release of revelry that's been pent up for 40 days. It's a pretty buttoned-down holiday (it's on Sunday, even!). And, like eating chocolate and wearing bonnets /= party gras

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:19 (twenty years ago)

I think Mardi Gras and such carnivals were actually to celebrate end of the fasting period which predated Easter. And Easter as such was a pagan celebration of spring, like with most holidays the Christ aspect was added later on.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:20 (twenty years ago)

It's a pretty buttoned-down holiday (it's on Sunday, even!). And, like eating chocolate and wearing bonnets /= party gras

why do you think that is, huk? like people should be all psyched about resurrection or more somber about it? i mean, c'mon, dude.

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:22 (twenty years ago)

Cos Easter's a Christian festival but Mardi Gras's a piss-up people used to use Christianity as an excuse for?

xpost
Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday precede the fasting, Tuomas - get your partying out of the way before going to confession and giving up fun for Lent.

― Mingus Realty (noodle vague), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:25 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, sorry, I got mixed up. I think there was actually a feast around Easter, but since the death of Christ thing was added there, it gradually became a more somber event and not big party holiday.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:25 (twenty years ago)

Easter isn't particularly buttoned-down in Spain.

http://www.skunk.co.uk/images/lifestyle/art/photography/bcurtis/Semana-Santa.jpg

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:26 (twenty years ago)

yeah it's casual good friday for the klan.

(jus' kidding, i've always wanted to be in seville for santa semana)

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:27 (twenty years ago)

I'm just curious if there's any sort of background or history behind this. I mean, yeah, sure, Good Friday is somber and a time for stoic reflection, but maybe, from a Catholic POV esp., after the whole being good for 40 days, you're NOT SUPPOSED TO want to make merry.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:29 (twenty years ago)

Well like I said, Easter itself is a Church holiday and Shrove Tuesday isn't. You go to church on Easter Sunday, so there's going to be a degree of restraint that Shrove Tuesday isn't about.

― Mingus Realty (noodle vague), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:34 (twenty years ago)

So why not get ripped and wild and decadent TODAY??? LET'S DO IT!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:37 (twenty years ago)

I think for us pagans a four-day holiday is a good enough reason to party, Jesus or no Jesus. God knows I was horribly hungover already on Friday.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:39 (twenty years ago)

xpost

I've just put the schnapps in the fridge.

― Mingus Realty (noodle vague), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:41 (twenty years ago)

GOD DOES KNOW, TUOMAS. And he told me he's very disappointed.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:47 (twenty years ago)

I was just in spain for the whole of semana santa and managed to avoid seeing a single procession

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 17 April 2006 15:47 (twenty years ago)

We saw a few dishevelled klansmen though.

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 17 April 2006 16:41 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, sorry, I got mixed up. I think there was actually a feast around Easter, but since the death of Christ thing was added there, it gradually became a more somber event and not big party holiday.

are you talking about Passover?

― dave vire think (dave225.3), Monday, 17 April 2006 16:47 (twenty years ago)

More likely Eostre or whatever that sprint/rebirth/fertility thing was called. Apparently the inclusion of eggs & etc in Easter traditions comes from that group of pagan rites/celebrations. WIkipedia is being REALLY slow but I think it's a Norse or Northern European thing...?

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 17 April 2006 16:51 (twenty years ago)

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