SPIEGEL ONLINE - News
"Europe Erupts in Excess
From Venice to Cologne, people are throwing on their party clothes for one last burst of overindulgence before Lent. While the weather forced the Europeans to wear more clothes than they do at Carnival in Rio, in spirit they are just as risqué.
Carnivale in Venice, Karneval in Cologne and Fastnacht in southwestern Germany and northern Switzerland all share the tradition of feasting on all the food that could spoil during Lent -- the 40 day period of fasting prior to Easter. The word carnival is derived from the Latin 'carne vale' or 'farewell to meat.' Actually the festivals have their roots in pagan celebrations, but the Christians successfully co-opted the traditions into their own liturgical calendar. "
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