CARNIVALE; FROM 6th JANUARY TO ASH WEDNESDAY
CARNIVALE FROM 6th JANUARY TO ASH WEDNESDAY Maria Von Trapp (1) says this about the two liturgical periods of abstinence – Advent and Lent: “St Catherine closes the door of the dance hall until the three Holy Kings throw it wide open again,” is a saying in Catholic countries. This means that with the feast of St Catherine of Alexandria (November 25) the Church enters the ‘closed time.’ In these weeks, good [Catholics] are not allowed to attend public dances and are not supposed to have big festive wedding celebrations…. To make up for these two periods of abstinence from dancing and merrymaking, there is sandwiched in between a time that is, on the contrary, even dedicated to dancing and feasting of any kind. In Austria, these weeks are called Fashching. In Latin countries they are known by the name of Carnevale (translated as ‘Meat, farewell!’) As we know one main feature of fasting is usually abstinence from meat. Here in the United States, we have come across the word ‘carniva...