New Orleans, La. January 6, 2001 ....... For those who are new to the celebration of Carnival Twelfth night each year, it seems this is a lot of hub bub about nothing. After all, it's a little known fact beyond Louisiana, except in certain parts of the country where the catholic religion and faith are strong. For certain those who know little or nothing about catholic religion, they can't, won't or don't understand the celebration of Twelfth night. It is January 6th, each new year, or exactly 12 days, (hence the name twelfth night) after the celebration of Christmas, on the 25th of December. This date signals the Feast of the Epiphany.
On January 6 the Church of the East, along with most other Christian churches, celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany. The Epiphany is an ancient festival observance of the Church. It has been celebrated at least from the 3rd century of the Christian era. The word Epiphany is of Greek origin, and it means "manifestation", and the Greek title of the feast has usually carried over into other languages, though it has been translated among the Syriac-speaking churches ("Denkha" carries the same meaning). The feast was from the beginning a celebration of the Baptism of Christ, and was one of the three principle feasts of the early Church: Epiphany, Easter, and Pentecost.
From the 5th century the Western churches began to transform the feast-day into a celebration of Christ's manifestation to the Gentiles, and the three "Kings" (Magi) (also known as Kings day) became the central figures (apart from our Lord) in the day's festivities. However, in the Eastern churches the commemoration of the Baptism is still the central feature. The Mardi Gras group known as the the Phunny Phorty Phellows are know in New Orleans, as the Carnival Group that heralds the arrival of the new carnival season. They do this on twelfth night each year. Some of their rides are the stuff of legends as they stuff a streetcar full of the cubs members, and some very lucky guests and take a small ride along the tracks of new Orleans. The streetcar ride itself heralds the beginning of the 52 days of carnival, for this year culminating on Mardi Gras. This is the groups 20th year of riding on 12th night.
After their annual streetcar ride the group then attend a small party to enjoy the two king cakes and pick their Queen and the king. The group's King is known to them as "the Boss."
Mardi Gras Coconuts |
