CARNEVALE TRADITIONS

In Italy, as in many other parts of the world, the sacred time of Lent is preceded by a grand festival known as Carnevale. Carnevale is held on Martedi Grasso (Fat Tuesday), the day before Ash Wednesday. Traditionally, this festival includes masked balls, parades, pageants, costumes, dancing, fireworks and outdoor feasts. A pignatta ceremony is also held in several Italian cities. The ceremony originated in Renaissance Italy when a clay pot (pignatta in Italian) stuffed with goodies was suspended in the air  and broken with a stick.

In Venice, the holiday takes on a life of its own as the city magically travels back to the 16th century with the Commedia dell¹arte (Artistic Comedy). This ancient theatrical form is characterized by free improvisation on the stage and expressive acting. Many typical Venetian Carnival masks are based upon those worn by actors of the Commedia dell¹arte. One thing is for sure, Carnevale in Venice is surely a celebration not to be missed!

Historically, masquerading was a shared practice among Venetians, regardless of whether they were wealthy, destitute, bold or even shy. Masked prostitutes would en-gage in the most reckless games of eroticism, and be certain that their anonymity would dissolve all accepted restraints.

Aristocrats, who would usually go to great lengths not to disclose even a clue of their sexual preferences, were able to wear masks and star in acts that back then were not only sinful but also against the law. Even gamblers wore masks to remain anonymous, lest great personal wins and/or losses of money or possessions would be known by the community. As you might imagine, for some, the wearing of masks was almost necessary!

The Venice environment, because of its crowded city conditions, didn't really allow for much seclusion or solitude; individual anonymity or privacy was difficult to come by. Thus, the "mask" became an outlet for many to depart from the mainstream life they were leading. The average citizen found that by wearing a mask they could act like a stranger, revealing their real persona, which they normally kept to themselves to avoid being judged by others.                     

Sadly, there were some greedy characters who would use to their benefit the frequent masking events throughout the year to en-gage in various illegal and immoral acts. The city's governing bodies, in an attempt to control masquerading, ultimately voted to ban the use of masks at certain times throughout the year such as on most holy days. Interestingly, however, there were two periods in which wearing disguise in the streets was encouraged. One of those periods began on Ascension Day (40 days after Easter) and

lasted until June 10th. The second period started on October 5th and ran through December 16th. It was in those years that the Venetian Carnival planted its roots. The annual start date was December 26th and to this present day, it closes on Shrove Tuesday, which is the day before Ash Wednesday.                 

As the tradition continues today, the beautiful city of Venice serves as the gathering place for more and more Venetians and many other visitors from around the world to take part in this exceptional event of uninhibited celebration. Ahhh, the Venice Carnival!!!