The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-02-11
APPROACH Of THE
CARNIVAL
SEASON
Historical Sketch of Mardi GraS-.
This Seasons Festivities
Will Cost $40, 900.

strange TO say there are thousands,
POsSlOly millions. of otherwise we'll in
termed Americans, who have never
heard OF the annual celebration of the
darol Gras festival, Notwithstanding
us pagan origin in the Eternal City,
centuries before Christ. and its per
peJuatlOn through all of the ages
since.
Pagan custom demanded the dedica.
ton of festival seasons to many of
Its gods. and TO the god Of Mirth the
festival of Mardi Gras was dedicated.
Like many other of the ante Christian
festivals, IL was adopted by the early
followers OF the Savior, and has been
handed down from father to son
throughout the Christian era in most
OF the Roman Catholic states of the
world
The exact season of the ante Chris
tan celebration of Mardi Gras is I'M
certain. but upon its adoption by the
carly Christians in Rome, il was ap-
pointed the Inauguration of the Lent
Ell season of retirement. repentance,
fasting and prayer, beginning on Ash
Wednesday.
In the early days of its pagan cela-
bratiOn in Rome the festival of Mardi
Gras was the gTandest of Rome's mag
nifcient fsasts; and the pa'seants of
those days were the most splendid.
most dazzling, most gorgeous of an
cient ROme's splendid spectacles,
hence no reason for wonder exists
that the early Roman Christians
should adopted Mardi GTas as one of
their festival seasons.
Mardi Gras is still celebrated as the
greatest season of mirth in the city of
Rome. as it is in most of the other
cities of sunny Italy. It is likewise
celebrated in accord with its origin as
the season of frOlicsOme folly, feasting
and frivOlity from end to enc of Spain.
in NJ eXicO. in France and in all of the
cities Of Cuba-nOJably, in Havana.
The first organized celebration of
the season in the United States. was
undertaken some fifty years ago at
Mobile. Since then. several other
cities of the Gulf states have adopted
The celebration, until now the festival
o. Mardi Gras wherever it has been
heralded. has come to be recognized
as purely Southern institution.
In The early seventies an OTganiza-
ton which adopted the name:
knights of Palafox." was formed in
Pensacola. for the purpose of conduit
ing an organized celebration of Mardi
GTas, but after a few years of ques-
tiOnable success the Knights of Pala-
fox 0isbanded in disgust and despair.
Seven years ago however, the Pen
sacOla Carnival Association was or
gained here 10 revive the celebration
From the beginning. the efforts of this
organization were crowned with sue
cess. and now Nardi Gras is as fully
recognized as one of PenSaCOla'S fixed
institutions r. is the magnificent har-
Dor upon which the city is situated.
From year to year thousands of dol
lars have been added 10 the cost Of
PensacOla's celebrations: from year to
year PenSacOla's Mardi Gras pageantS
have enhanced in artistic beauty and
inspiring grandeur until it. would seem
that the apex of magnifCancs must be
reached in this years paraa7s. which
will occur on Monday at noon on the
26th. and Tuesday evening the 9th,
instant.
Ten thousand dollars is the approx
mated cost Of this years Mardi Gras
celebration in Pensacola.