So we've been around Rome for a while, and every single Sunday afternoon we see kids running around in what I could only call Halloween costumes! Princesses, fairies, monsters, Tigger, Zorro... you name it! And my only question is: why?

It's carnival.

In the US you have Halloween. Here we have Carnevale, which was originally a Roman festivity that got integrated with Catholicism.Carnevale falls about 40 days before ester, and it's celebrated everywhere except Milano on a Tuesday, while MIlano celebrates it on the following Saturday. In the previous weeks there is already lots of masquerading and partying and tricking. According to the catholic tradition, Carnevale marks the start of the Quaresima, the period during which catholics are supposed to abstain from meat and other foods.

quote:

Originally posted by AliceTwain:
Carnevale marks the start of the Quaresima, the period during which catholics are supposed to abstain from meat and other foods.

Just for clarity, quaresima is lent. And actually it's not just catholics who celebrate lent - many protestants also observe it.

So... Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) is on 20 Feb. We've been seeing kids in costumes for at least three weeks, and we're still a week out from Mardi Gras. Is this typical? What other traditions are associated with it?

I know that in the States, there are still Carnivale/Mardi Gras celebrations (New Orleans being the centerpiece) before Lent. In a lot of ways, the partying leading up to and on Mardi Gras transcends any previous religious association. Is that the case here, too?

I'm so interested, here! Thanks for all your insights.

Yes, it is normal, ald the celebrations lead up to the big one of the alst days. Also, the religious associations were forced on Carnevaleby the Cahtolic church, and they didn't catch much. It's still essentially the same pagan celebration as elsewhere.

At least here in Rome, though, Carnival/Mardi Gras is not the big, blow out adult party which it is in New Orleans, Rio di Janeiro and many Latin American cities (or, for that matter, the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney). Here, adults don't normally dress up in costumes just the kids.

Nobody told the Positanese that adults don't dress up!They were all sitting in the bar tonight excitedly describing their costumes to each other!