February comes around and everyone gets ready for Carnival to celebrate Mardi Gras.
But is Mardi Gras really a Christian tradition? And should Christians celebrate Mardi Gras? With so much overlap between Christian and pagan belief systems, it’s sometimes difficult to know what is biblical and what is merely tradition or rituals. That’s when you must turn to the Word to answer this question.
But first, what is Mardi Gras?
Also known as Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday, the word Mardi Gras in English is literally derived from the French word meaning Fat Tuesday.
Why is it called Fat Tuesday? Because it’s the last day before Lent when Catholics (and Protestants) eat all the rich, fatty foods that are leftover in their homes, a sort of cleansing; but a cleansing that involves indulgence for one last time before forty days of fasting – mainly consisting of meat, cheese, milk, eggs and fat. It’s sort of a copy of the Jewish people searching for, removing, and burning all the chametz, aka bread or other foods that have leavening agents or yeast in them.
But it’s not just one day of cleansing and feasting. The entire period from the feast of Epiphany (6th Jan) to Shrove Tuesday can be a time of excessiveness. Many cultures celebrate this period with carnivals that include feasting, drinking and dancing, some for weeks and some for days.
In the East Indian culture during my parents time, the period from the Sunday before to Pancake Tuesday was celebrated as Introze or Intruz and culminated with the making of sweet coconut-filled pancakes on Tuesday. In other cultures, the King Cake is eaten and beads of gold, purple and green are worn, masks of demons are worn to hunt them away, and what not.
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Mardi Gras promotes values and behavior that are contrary to the Christian faith.
Mardi Gras or Pancake Tuesday is also called Shrove Tuesday because of the absolution received from the confession of sins, the original word here being Shrive.
But is this what people really do on Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras is associated with excessive partying and indulgence, and often leads to behaviors such as drunkenness and promiscuity which goes against Christian teachings.
This focus on earthly pleasures during Mardi Gras can distract Christians from their spiritual journey.
The origins of Mardi Gras are rooted in pagan rituals and traditions that we as Christians may find conflicting. Mardi Gras is a celebration that glorifies the flesh instead of focusing on spiritual matters. The excesses and debauchery associated with Mardi Gras can lead Christians astray from their faith.
There’s nothing wrong with eating the pancakes; but there absolutely is something wrong with all the excessiveness that people buy into.
Read Romans 13:13-14 and 1 Corinthians 10:7
People who celebrate Mardi Gras are of the ‘celebrate now, repent later’ school of being. But is that really what God wants you to do? Romans 13:13-14 ayd 1 Corinthians 10:7 decry this behaviour.
13 Let us walk properly as in the day—not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and envy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Messiah Yeshua, and stop making provision for the flesh—for its cravings.
Romans 13:13-14, TLV Version
Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
1 Corinthians 10:7, TLV Version
Choosing not to celebrate Mardi Gras may be construed as a personal decision. But truthfully, over indulgence is not scriptural. As a Christian you just need to ask the Holy Spirit for help with realising this and striving to live a life of moderation.
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I’m an East Indian foodie and travel blogger from Bombay, India. I love baking, cooking, and making wine at home. But I also love doing stuff around the house and spending time in the Word. You’ll find more info about me here!