Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, and Lent

Mardi Gras is the french for fat Tuesday. It comes directly before Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent, a period of fasting and penance before Easter. In ancient times, and to some extent, today, Christians would refrain from eating meat and fat during Lent, so they had to make sure it was all gone the day before Lent, which is Mardi Gras. That's the day they ate all the fat and meat that was left over, before they began a long period of fasting and penance. Then, of course, on Easter Sunday, there would be an enormous feast, celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, at which time people would resume eating fat and meat again. If you would like information on any Catholic issue, please email me at philinaberdeen@gmail.com and I will gladly answer your question in a polite and friendly way. Thank you.