So years ago I was visiting relatives in Mexico. And the catholic church has this really weird nasty holiday called 'Carnival' (Marty Gras in America) which takes place in February right before going into Lent, which is the 60 days where 'good' Catholics abstain from meat, sex, and candy. They have this celebration which starts with plastering the virgin Guadalupe on all the tequila. And everyone gets stone drunk on the steps of the cathedral. They have this drunken debauchery party that lasts three night where everyone gets stoned and some take off their clothes in front of Guadalupe the virgin and...

In the day there are parades full of exotic hired dancers (blacks) that show off most of their flesh for the adoring crowd. All the while carrying Guadalupe as they go along.

Has anyone else ever seen this? Catholics are even stranger than Mormons.

I have been to the one in San Miguel, Cozumel.

It is a very long parade with PG-13 dancers, no nudity.

Sorry, no debauchery.

A part of any population will always seize an opportunity to party to extremes--Superbowl, college team winning, etc.

Mardi Gras is the crazy precursor to 40 days of Lent. Traditionall,during Lent no meat was eaten, Mass was attended daily, people dressed soberly and went without celebration. In fact, during Inquisition times in Spain, Muslim families that had "converted" to avoid the Inquisition always skipped any sort of meat.

Take the time to find out a little about the culture when you travel.

What you saw wasn't Catholic but rather the cultural distortion of Fat Tues. (or Carnival or Madi Gras) also known as Shrove Tues.

Catholics do give up something during Lent, but it's not sex. It can be anything. From candy, to meats, to the Internet, to booze, or what ever. I've known people to give up coffee.

I've never know anyone personally who gave up sex for Lent (which is 40 days, BTW, not 60)

"Carnival" come from the Latin "carne" (meat) and I think it's "vale" to give up. At least something like that.

On Fridays in Lent Catholics are suppose to abstain from meats (in the past, they did this every Friday thru the year. Now it's just during Lent)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2015 10:22AM by angela.

Now a days Catholics will leave New Orleans for Marti Gras since it's become so corrupted from its original intent.

Historically it was the day when you would use up the last of your meats and eggs etc before entering Lent.

For the Orthodox, Lent is known as the Great Fast, if I recall correctly. It's far more of an intensive discipline for them than it is for Catholics.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2015 10:27AM by angela.

In the far past, meat was not eaten for the entire time of lent.

poopstone Wrote:
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> ...the virgin Guadalupe...
> ...Guadalupe the virgin

FYI, it's the Virgin (as in the Virgin Mary) of Guadalupe (where the vision of the Virgin Mary supposedly happened).

Yep. Also, it's Mardi Gras. Not Marty nor Marti.

StillAnon Wrote:
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> Yep. Also, it's Mardi Gras. Not Marty nor Marti.

Yeah, it is. As in "Fat Tuesday" in French. Meaning a day to fatten up and party before the first day of Lent (which is a Wednesday). :)

poopstone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So years ago I was visiting relatives in Mexico.
> And the catholic church has this really weird
> nasty holiday called 'Carnival' (Marty Gras in
> America) which takes place in February right
> before going into Lent, which is the 60 days where
> 'good' Catholics abstain from meat, sex, and
> candy. They have this celebration which starts
> with plastering the virgin Guadalupe on all the
> tequila. And everyone gets stone drunk on the
> steps of the cathedral. They have this drunken
> debauchery party that lasts three night where
> everyone gets stoned and some take off their
> clothes in front of Guadalupe the virgin and...
>
> In the day there are parades full of exotic hired
> dancers (blacks) that show off most of their flesh
> for the adoring crowd. All the while carrying
> Guadalupe as they go along.
>
> Has anyone else ever seen this? Catholics are even
> stranger than Mormons.

There are SOOOOOOO many errors, perception problems and flat out incorrect stuff in this that I'm not going to comment on his post.

A quick Google or Bing search for pictures, videos, websites, info on Mardi Gras (mostly New Orleans) and/or Carnival (mostly Brazil) will show the facts. Even a Wikipedia search provides more on the Parties, that was invented by the people, that happens before the fast of 40 day Lent.

+1 . Ethnocentrism at its finest.

Sorry if I wasn't born a catholic. oh well...

See. it's comments like that and an unwillingness to check up on things or expand knowledge and perceptions.

First off, Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, 40 days of Lent are not just celebrated by Catholics. It's Anglicans, Methodists, Lutherans, etc... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday

Things like Mardi Gras are equivalent to say "Cinquo De Mayo". Yes it celebrates something real or built on the "feast before the fast" of Ash Wednesday; but beer companies, Cities w/strong tourist appeal, shops/businesses took it over so things like King Cakes, throwing beads, etc... became a separate tradition.

Also, sometimes people have a belief in something and won't take the real answer. Example from a friend of mine would be "Cinquo De Mayo". He still insists that it's Mexico's Independence Day. I explained to him that it was actually just a celebration for one providence in Mexico when they kicked the French out and took it over as part of the Spanish Empire. I told him it's basically a ridiculous celebration brought together by Beer companies and businesses so they could throw Cinquo De Mayo parties and have Cinquo sales...even Mexico wonders why the U.S. started turning this into a big deal.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2015 12:21AM by dydimus.

I think you mean Cinco.;)

You don't even have to be Catholic to culturally know what Mardi Gras or Carnival(e) is. It's a pretty popular holiday, even for those of us in the West. My hometown, which is really far from New Orleans, has a parade and celebration every year, rain, shine, or snow. In today's day and age, the excuse that "Sorry I wasn't born ...." is pure laziness.

There is a special prayer that is frequently heard on Shrove Tuesday, as men seek to fortify themselves for the 40 days of Lent; you hear all that night...

"Show us your tits!" they cry out in holy supplication. It's a beautiful display of religious fervor.

Thats how you do it - Cologne style ;) It's a wild party before you go in for a 40 day lent, a time to ponder before Easter and to give up something for those 40 days. Its not only religious here but a huge part of our culture. And everything that happens in this weeks is forgot and forgiven by receiving the absolution at Ash Wednesday. ;) - and ten months later birthrate is at its peak.... Who's your daddy? Mom said either the clown or Captain Jack Sparrow or maybe the guy who wore a tutu.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=heQvhMsK0c0



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2015 10:57AM by newnameabigail.

I've done Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and Carnival in Venice.

They are both fun. Just go with the flow and enjoy the sights and sounds.

In Bavaria and neighboring regions it's called "Fasching" or "Fastnacht." I experienced it when I lived in Munich in 1961. It puts all the pre-Lent celebrations in other countries to shame because it lasts longer (or rather, starts sooner).

It starts officially on November 11 and lasts until Lent begins. Not much is going on until after New Year's, though, but then it revs up. In '61 it lasted for six weeks. Every club or organization holds at least two big parties during that time. Many public buildings (theaters, museums, etc.) are converted into ballrooms. During Fasching the streetcars run all night to accommodate revelers. Everybody addresses everybody with the familiar "du" (you) instead of the more formal "Sie". Ordinarily adultery is grounds for divorce in Bavaria, but not if it occurred during Fasching. I attended ten different huge Fasching dances. Everybody in costume, of course.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2015 11:28AM by RPackham.

Would have been way cool if you 'dressed up' as a mormon missionary!

Every single year when I guard our sisters trough these days - because it can get pretty physical - I hear atleast every 10 minutes: Looool they're dressed up like mormons. Funny costume. Where is your husband Sisters? Do you have a schedule for "it" and in the other time are you sisters doing "it" together? I wish I can be your mormon husband I can make three girls happy ......

A few years back I saw a group of 40+ guys in the quarter all dressed like missionaries (with real name tags!) Called the Krewe of More Men.

Been to one in Rio.

Once away from the main parade the rest of the city seemed normal.

Saw more skin at the beach, didn't understan the hype.

I bet it's really big in Rio. The dancers I saw in Mexico, I think may have been Brazilian. They have a special twist on salsa music and dance steps that comes from African styles.

I once worked with a Catholic guy who gave up beer for Lent and complained about it. Any benefit of the practice escaped me.

So much inaccuracy in this post, and, as itz suggested, ethnocentrism. Try Googling.

I hope "poopstone" will continue to bring up subjects and ask questions. He'll end up knowing more than the idiots who criticize him for doing so.

I've been to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It was an interesting experience, but once was enough. Luckily, we had a chance to return to New Orleans during normal times, and eat Cajun food, and listen to some great jazz. We left with a giant box of pralines.

I think it is a very good idea to give up meat! The Caholic church is twooo! Health experts say that humans should eat less meat, and more beans, and eat fish several times a week. The Catholic church is twooo!

It's about the way he impresses his ethnocentrism on other cultures and his continued racism and sexism. Calling the professional dancers "exotic dancers" because they're wearing typical Carnival costumes is just one example of this. It's the way he asks the questions, not the questions asked.

I'd forgotten about the no meat on Friday deal. Used to see it on the Catholic calendar at my cousin's homes. I'm married to a Catholic but she never mentioned any of that stuff to me.

RB

Because I adopted the fish on Fridays tradition. Tuesdays, now, too.
@frogdogs below, Baha!

35 years ago in Valladolid, Spain, as a missionary. We were walking back to our apartment and passed through the main plaza during carnival. The branch EQ president spotted us and told us we shouldn’t be there. Then why was he there? The Disney Hunchback carnival opening reminded me of Valladolid’s carnival. Nothing too shocking, just a fun party. They also have a large gypsy population there.

poopstone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> the catholic church has this really weird
> nasty holiday called 'Carnival' (Marty Gras in
> America)

Is that 'ha ha' weird, or 'inferior/wrong' weird? And is that the nasty being sung about by Janet Jackson on her 'Control' album, or is that nasty as in moldy leftover casserole nasty?

I've only met one person named Marty and I can't remember his last name. The main character's name in the movie 'Back to the Future' was Marty but his surname was McFly.

> Lent, which is the 60 days where
> 'good' Catholics abstain from meat, sex, and
> candy.

In addition to 'good' Catholics, the weird nasty ones also abstain from dancing (exotic or otherwise), booze, watching re-runs of Gilligan's Island, and petting armadillos during Lent. With the encyclopedic knowledge on display in this post, I'm surprised this was not mentioned.

> They have this celebration which starts
> with plastering the virgin Guadalupe on all the
> tequila.

I think I've heard of her. Whether or not she's a virgin is nobody's business, but she is very greedy for getting plastered on all the tequila. What are the rest of us supposed to drink? :-(

> And everyone gets stone drunk on the
> steps of the cathedral. They have this drunken
> debauchery party that lasts three night where
> everyone gets stoned and some take off their
> clothes in front of Guadalupe the virgin and...

Regardless of what Guadalupe thinks, what happens on the steps of the cathedral *stays* on the steps of the cathedral.

> In the day there are parades full of exotic hired
> dancers (blacks) that show off most of their flesh
> for the adoring crowd.

Such exotic, hired dancing flesh! Such a curious parenthetical aside!

> All the while carrying
> Guadalupe as they go along.

Well, that's just common sense. She was plastered on all the tequila, remember?

> Has anyone else ever seen this? Catholics are even
> stranger than Mormons.

Not me. I'm a normal, morally superior person who is respectable, except for when I'm on the steps of the cathedral. Strangers are even Catholics and Mormons.

I went. New Orleans 1998. But being on Bourbon Street for New Years Eve Y2K was even better.

At least, we did it right. We stayed at a hotel right on the parade route, so if we had to go to the bathroom, we only had to trot up to our hotel room.

Otherwise, trying to reach public restrooms is a nightmare. The crowds can be drunk and unruly. In the French Quarter, as I remember, it is more family-friendly and you don't have as many nasty-tempered drunks or rowdy people.

I didn't think the floats were any big deal either, but then, I grew up with the Rose Parade. Now, THOSE guys know how to build floats that will knock your eyes out! And the crowds are a lot nicer.

I guess it kind of soured my outlook that my now-ex insisted on bringing his girlfriend along.

Is it true that the crowds tend to urinate and vomit in the streets? And that the next day they have clean up crews that come thru and hose down the streets?