It's Mardi Gras Time!!
February 15th, 2010
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It's that time of year again! Mardi Gras time!
The history of Mardi Gras began long before the Europeans set foot in the New World.
In mid February, the ancient Romans celebrated the Lupercalia, a circus like festival not entirely unlike the Mardi Gras. When Rome embraced Christianity, the early Church fathers decided it was better to incorporate certain aspects of pagan rituals into the new faith rather than attempt to abolish them altogether. Carnival became a period of abandon and merriment that preceded the penance of Lent, thus giving a Christian interpretation to the ancient custom.
Mardi Gras came to America in 1699 with the French explorer Iberville. When he sailed into the Gulf of Mexico, from where he launched an expedition up the Mississippi River.
On March 3 of 1699, Iberville had set up a camp on the west bank of the river about 60 miles south of where New Orleans is today.
This was the day Mardi Gras was being celebrated in France.
In honor of this important day, Iberville named the site Point du Mardi Gras.
During the late 1700's, pre-Lenten masked balls and festivals were common in New Orleans while it was under French rule.
However when New Orleans came under Spanish rule the custom was banned.
In 1803 New Orleans came under the U.S. flag. The prohibition against masked festivals continued until 1823 when the Creole populace convinced the governor to permit masked balls.
In 1827 street masking was again legalized.
So it's time to don your masks and beads, eat your fair share of cajun cuisine and have a great time!
We here at Goehrs Properties, Inc. wish you Happy February Celebrations, and remind you that we are here to help you with all of your real estate needs!
Disclaimer : The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Houston Association of REALTORS®
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