Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday. It’s also called Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday in different parts of the world. Mardi Gras is synonymous with carnival celebrations in New Orleans, Venice, and Rio, although the day is also celebrated in a similar fashion in countries with large Roman Catholic populations.
When Christianity arrived in Rome, these popular local traditions were incorporated into the new faith. The debauchery typical of Mardi Gras precedes Lent, the 40-day period of fasting and penance leading to Easter Sunday.
