How did Fat Tuesday get it name?

Answer 1

Fat Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras is an unofficial celebration that is generally recognized by those of the Catholic denomination of Christianity, or by any other group that fasts for Lent during that same time (this would exclude the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox denominations, for example, who do not generally celebrate Lent at the same time).

It is celebrated on the day before Lent , the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. It is a day where people eat gluttonous amounts of rich fatty food, drink and 'partake in sin-like behaviors'...Hence the name "Fat Tuesday." it is a time to fast/give up your desires and recognize the Feast of Resurrection.

The Feast of Resurrection, commonly known as Easter, is on a Sunday each year, and the fast of Lent lasts 40 days, according to Catholicism. Therefore, Lent always begins on a Wednesday followed by Fat Tuesday as an annual celebration.

Answer 2

"Fat Tuesday" is synonymous with the French term Mardi Gras (also Shrove day)- Fat Tuesday is technically the day before Ash Wednesday. It is a day when people eat all they want of everything and anything- pure gluttony- because the following day is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent- a long fasting period for Christians.

Going by the technical definition Mardi Gras begins on the following dates:

The time varies from country to country and even city to city. Some traditions consider Mardi Gras as the Carnival period between Epiphany (Twelfth Night) and Ash Wednesday. Others treat the final three-day period as being Mardi Gras. On Bourbon St New Orleans Mardi Gras begins right after New Years.

Answer 3

Fat Tuesday is the last day before the beginning of the season of Lent, a Christian season of self sacrifice. I guess it's similar in a way to The Bachelor party before the wedding.

Roman Catholic AnswerIt comes from the very old regulation of not being able to use fats during Lent (like butter, lard, etc.) so Fat Tuesday was the last day you had to eat foods prepared with fat, and you had to get rid of all of it before Ash Wednesday. It, unfortunately, has degenerated into a party.

Answer 4

Fat Tuesday is also called Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras (and lead to Carnival and Pancake Day) and is held on the day before Ash Wednesday

Fat Tuesday is the French Translation of 'Mardi Gras'- a day when French people were encouraged to idulge in fatty foods and cuisine in preparation for Lent.

Shrove is derived from the Latin verb scribere, meaning, to write- "to prescribe penance." During the middle ages, religious leaders would ensure that "shriveners" (priests) were available to hear the confessions of the multitudes of presumptuous sinners who had committed all types of iniquity during Carnival.

It was a way to indulge in Sin before the period of Lent- self restraint and denial- to rid yourself of your sins.

Pancake Day- England began the tradition of serving pancakes, and for this reason the day is known as "Pancake Day"

Carnival Carnival became associated with Shrove Tuesday, in part from the Spring Equinox celebrations practiced by the Romans and ancient tribes of Europe. The word "carnival" comes fromLatin carnem levare, meaning "to take away the flesh".

Answer
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, and it is common practice among Christians to sacrifice worldly pleasures during this season to remember the sacrifice of Jesus being crucified (Good Friday). Somewhere someone got the idea that if you're going to abstain from worldly pleasures for 40 days you might as well party it up for the day (Fat Tuesday) if not the week (MardiGras) before.
Answer
Note that both Marti Gras (Fat - as in animal fat - Tuesday) and Carnival (Say goodbye to meat) both were times of eating meat before the commencement of the 40-days fast from meat that is (or was) Lent. Currently, Roman Catholics only skip meat on Ash Wednesday and fridays during Lent. Meat is also skipped on Good Friday, but Good Friday is part of the Triduum and not part of Lent itself.

Answer 5

Mardi gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to the practice of eating rich, fatty foods in feasts before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which begins on Ash Wednesday.

Answer 6

Fat Tuesday is always the day before Ash Wednesday. This year, 2009, Mardi Gras is February 24.

Answer 7

Mardi Gras is the original name of Fat Tuesday.