AlanBarber.Org
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Happy Fat Tuesday!
Today is Fat Tuesday or better known as Mardi Gras Day. It’s the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of the 40 day period before Easter known to Christians as Lent.
Lent is supposed to be a time of fasting and repentance.
It used to be way back when that you would fast during the entire 40 days but someplace along the line they changed it to just you couldn’t eat until after noon. It was changed again in like the 1960s to that you just fast (eat fish) on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent.
The standard practice now days besides only eating fish on Fridays is to give up something you like during the period. People give up chocolate, coffee, TV… basically whatever they want. It’s supposed to be something substantial so a thing like a kid that doesn’t like vegetables saying he won’t have veggies doesn’t count.
The basic summation of the Easter time is this:
Feb 8th - Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras Day (Celebration of last day before lent and a change to be naughty)
Feb 9th - Ash Wednesday (Start of lent and you are marked with ash on your forehead)
* Lent for 40 days (with only fish on Fridays and giving up something you like)
Mar 20th - Palm Sunday (Celebration of Jesus entering Jerusalem)
Mar 25th - Good Friday (Ironically, not a good day for Jesus who is crucified on this day)
Mar 27th - Easter (The celebration on the 3rd day when Jesus is resurrected)
So let’s see, I need to find something to give up for Lent. I’ll have to think about it today and come up with something good.
Anyhoo, have a nice Fat Tuesday everyone!
on 02/08/2005 at 10:59 AM