source : http://www.boston.com Feb 13, 2013
Pre-Lenten celebrations around the globe, including Carnival and Mardi Gras, wrapped up yesterday before the marking of Ash Wednesday today. Historians say the tradition dates back to Roman times, when the newly converted Christians retained vestiges of their pagan festival, "Lupercalia," as a period of celebration before the penance during the 40 days of Lent. -- Lloyd Young ( 46 photos total) 
A reveler of Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school performs during the second night of Carnival parades at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 12. (Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty Images)
Revelers from the Vila Isabel samba school participate in the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome Feb. 12. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) # 
Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 11. (Hassan Ammar/Associated Press) # 
A reveler of Beija-Flor samba school performs atop a float during the second night of Carnival parades at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 12. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) # 
A performer from the Sao Clemente samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 11. (Felipe Dana/Associated Press) # 
A reveler of Sao Clemente samba school performs during the second night of Carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 11. (Antonio Scorza/AFP/Getty Images) # 
A performer from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 12. Rio de Janeiro's samba schools vied for the title of the year's best in an over-the-top, all-night-long Carnival parade at the city's iconic Sambadrome. (Silvia Izquierdo/Associated Press) # 
Performers from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 12. (Hassan AmmarAP) # 
Brazilian celebrity Sabrina Sato performs with Gavioes da Fiel samba school during the second night of Carnival parades at the Sambadrome in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Feb. 10. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images) # 
A performer from the Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 10. (Silvia Izquierdo/Associated Press) # 
Reveler of the Salgueiro samba school participate on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, on Feb. 10. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters) # 
Members of samba school Imperatriz Leopoldinense perform during their parade at the Sambadrome in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 11. (Marcelo Sayao/European Pressphoto Agency) # 
A reveler of Beija-Flor samba school performs during the second night of Carnival parades at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 12. (Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty Images) # 
A reveler of Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school performs during the second night of Carnival parades at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 12. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) # 
Revelers of Grande Rio samba school perform during the second night of Carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro. (Antonio Scorza/AFP/Getty Images) # 
Performers from Inocentes de Belford Roxo samba school, prepare before participating in a Carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 10. (Hassan Ammar/Associated Press) # 
Queen of the 2013 Santa Cruz Carnival Soraya Rodriguez performs in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the Spanish Canary island of Tenerife on Feb. 6. (Desiree Martin/AFP/Getty Images) # 
Dancers take part in the Carnival parade in Barranquilla, Colombia on Feb. 9. Barranquilla's Carnival, a tradition created by locals at the end of the 19th century as a response and to parody the celebration held by European immigrants and aristocracy, was declared a "Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by the UNESCO in 2003. (Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images) # 
Masqueraders from Brian Mac Farlane's band parade on stage during their "Joy The Finale" presentation on the final day of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival at Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain on Feb. 12. (Andrea De Silva/Reuters) # 
Participants jump about during the Springerzug Carnival parade on Feb. 11 in Herbstein, Germany. The Springerzug, literally "jumping parade", is an interpretation of Carnival tradition particular to Herbstein. Niklas (l.) attend the Springerzug. Rose Monday is the highpoint of the annual Carnival in the region between Mainz, Cologne and Dusseldorf, where Carnival has been an annual tradition since 1823 and celebrates free-spirited merrymaking before the beginning of Lent. (Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images) # 
A reveler, dressed as a traditional Carnival character known as a Dame Lorraine, is helped into a pair of high heel shoes during J'Ouvert celebrations, or "daybreak celebrations" in the capital city Port of Spain on Feb. 11. Revelers bathe themselves in chocolate, mud, oil and paint as they depict devils, demons, monsters and imps during the celebrations, which marks the start of the two-day Trinidad Carnival street parade. (Andrea De Silva/Reuters) # 
Two masked revelers pose in Saint Mark's Square during the Venetian Carnival in Venice on Feb. 3. (Manuel Silvestri/Reuters) # 
People throw talcum powder at one another as they take part in the Carnival of "Los Indianos" (the Indians) in Santa Cruz de la Palma, on the Spanish Canary island of Las Palma on Feb. 11. (Desiree Martin/AFP/Getty Images) # 
Revelers wait to start a samba parade during the Carnival in Sesimbra, Portugal, on Feb. 10. (Rafael Marchante/Reuters) # 
A Carnival reveler wears fancy dress and blue face-paint during the Springerzug Carnival parade on the annual Rose Monday (Rosenmontag), Feb. 11 in Herbstein, Germany. The Springerzug, literally "jumping parade", is an interpretation of Carnival tradition particular to Herbstein. Niklas (l.) attend the Springerzug. Rose Monday is the highpoint of the annual Carnival in the region between Mainz, Cologne and Dusseldorf, where Carnival has been an annual tradition since 1823 and celebrates free-spirited merrymaking before the beginning of Lent. (Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images) # 
A boy takes part in the Carnival parade in the streets of Fort-de-France on the French Caribbean island of Martinique on Feb. 10. The Carnival started on Feb. 9 and will run until Ash Wednesday on Feb. 13 when Vaval, a giant papier-mache figure symbolizing the king of the Carnival, is burned. (Jean-Michel Andre/AFP/Getty Images) # 
A worker puts the final touches to a giant figure depicting German Chancellor Angela Merkel during preparations for the 129th Nice Carnival parade on Feb. 12 in Nice, southeastern France. (Lionel Cironneau/Associated Press) # 
A traditional "Diablo Arlequin" (Harlequin Devil) dancer take part in the second day of Carnival parade in Barranquilla, Colombia on Feb. 10. Barranquilla's Carnival, a tradition created by locals at the end of the 19th century as a response and to parody the celebration held by European immigrants and aristocracy, was declared a "Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by the UNESCO in 2003. (Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images) # 
A member of a rival team collects oranges in the middle of the square during an annual Carnival battle in the northern Italian town of Ivrea on Feb. 10. Dressed up as Middle Age kings' guards, a group of men ride in a horse-drawn carriage and pelt 'foot soldiers' with oranges as thousands of people gather to re-enact a Middle Age battle when the townsfolk of Ivrea overthrew an evil king. In a strange twist, instead of swords and cross bows, these days the weapons of choice are oranges. (Stefano Rellandini/Reuters) # 
A member of the Filhos de Ghandy (Children of Gandhi) afoxe music group throws popcorn into the air as a symbol of peace, during the Carnival celebrations in Salvador da Bahia, on Feb. 10. (Lunae Parracho/Reuters) # 
A Carnival reveler dressed as a clown passes a man on a street in Sesimbra, Portugal, on Feb. 11. (Jose Manuel Ribeiro/Reuters) # 
Revelers perform during the Carnival parade in the streets of Fort-de-France on the French Caribbean island of Martinique, on Feb. 10. The Carnival started on Feb. 9 and will run until Ash Wednesday on Feb. 13 when Vaval, a giant papier-mache figure symbolizing the king of the Carnival, is burned. (Jean-Michel Andre/AFP/Getty Images) # 
A boy dressed as a clown marching with others during a Carnival parade in Sesimbra, near Lisbon, on Feb. 11. Thousands of people wearing clown costumes participate in the traditional march trying to break their own world record set in 2004. (Francisco Seco/Associated Press) # 
A child member of the local "Indio" Carnival group of the Guadalupe neighborhood in northern Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, awaits to take part in their "Bate Bola" traditional parade on Feb. 10. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) # 
An artist from the French performance group called Ilotopie performs in an aquatic show "MetaMorPhosiS Aquaticae" on the Cannaregio Canal during a parade as part of the opening ceremony of the Venice Carnival on Jan. 26. (Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters) # 
Revelers dressed as clowns dance while marching during a Carnival parade in Sesimbra, near Lisbon, on Feb. 11. Thousands of people wearing clowns costumes participated in the traditional march trying to break their own world record set in 2004. (Francisco Seco/Associated Press) # 
Italian volleyball champion team player Francesca Piccinini wears a hussar's uniform costume as he hangs from a rope during a 'Fly-in' performance from the landmark San Marco bell tower to the San Marco Square in Venice, Italy, as part of this year's Venice Carnival events on Feb. 10. The Venice Carnival officially runs until Mardi Gras on Feb. 12. (Andrea Merola/European Pressphoto Agency) # 
William H. Hines lifts his hands to the heavens as he comes down St. Charles Avenue to Canal Street towards the end of the Mardi Gras parade on Feb. 12 in New Orleans. (Eliot Kamenitz/The Advocate via Associated Press) # 
Revelers catch beads as members of the Krewe of Endymion parade down Orleans Avenue during the weekend before Mardi Gras in New Orleans, La., on Feb. 9. Mardi Gras day will be celebrated on Feb. 12. (Sean Gardner/Reuters) # 
Bacchus yells to the crowd from his float during the Krewe of Bacchus Parade in New Orleans, La., on Feb. 10. Mardi Gras festivities will be happening all weekend long culminating with Fat Tuesday on Feb. 12. (Dan Anderson/European Pressphoto Agency) # 
A member of the Krewe of Toath looks out of a float as his krewe parades down St. Charles Avenue during the weekend before Mardi Gras in New Orleans, La., on Feb. 10. (Sean Gardner/Reuters) # 
A worker hoses down a mat on Bourbon Street in the early morning of Ash Wednesday, the day after Mardi Gras, in the French Quarter of New Orleans, on Feb. 13. The city begins to clean up after Mardi Gras comes to a close, with Ash Wednesday ushering in the solemn season of Lent. City and tourism officials are expected to talk about the impact of successive waves of tourists that hit town, first for Super Bowl and then a week later for Mardi Gras' final days. (Gerald Herbert/Associated Press) # 
An Indian Catholic Christian woman holds a rosary and prays on Ash Wednesday at Saint Mary's Basilica in Hyderabad, India, on Feb. 13. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the season of fasting, reflection, repentance and spiritual discipline observed by Catholics. (Mahesh Kumar A/Associated Press) # 
A churchgoer prepares to receive ashes from Baltimore Archbishop William Lori's outstretched hand during an Ash Wednesday mass in Baltimore on Feb. 13. (Patrick Semansky/Associated Press) # 
Pope Benedict XVI arrives to lead Ash Wednesday mass at the Vatican on Feb. 13. Thousands of people are expected to gather in the Vatican for Pope Benedict's Ash Wednesday mass, which is expected to be his last before leaving office at the end of the month. (Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters) # 
Grady Sullivan prays during an Ash Wednesday service at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Feb. 13 in Conroe, Tx. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, reflection and repentance observed by Catholics. (Jason Fochtman/Conroe Courier via Associated Press) #
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