carnival

Carnival is a celebration that takes place immediately before the start of the Christian Lent, which starts in turn with Ash Wednesday, which has variable dates (between February and March depending on the year). Carnival combines elements such as costumes, parades and street parties. By extension some similar parties are named in any season. Despite the great differences that its celebration presents in the world, their common characteristic is that of being a period of permissiveness and some slippage. In the beginning, probably with a certain sense of modesty own religion, Carnival was a parade in which the participants wore costumes and wearing masks. However, the habit was transforming the celebration into its present form. The origin of its celebration seems likely of pagan festivals, such as those performed in honor of Bacchus, the god of wine, the Roman Saturnalia and Lupercalia, or those performed in honor of the Apis bull in Egypt. According to some historians, the origins of this festival date back to ancient Sumeria and Egypt more than 5000 years ago, with celebrations very similar at the time of the Roman Empire, where the custom in Europe expanded, being brought to America by the Spanish and Portuguese in the fifteenth century sailors. However, the carnival as we know it today only came into being safely from seventh century, one date which have written proof of their existence.
The carnival, although it should be emphasized that the Church is not supported as a celebration of religious tone, is associated with the Catholic countries, and less so with the Eastern Orthodox Christians; Protestant cultures have modified traditions, such as the Danish Carnival.