Please note access to many other notes in companion pages (see links at the top of the left column. In essence, Carnival remains a celeration of life sprining during spring or put another way a renewed live, thus "love celebrations". Syncreticaly, these are feasts of the "rebirth of life" evident in buds and blooming flowers in the midst of bird songs. Having failed to destroy this tradition, Christianity promoted a re-braning of such celebrations as Saint Valentine's Day (see companion overview) and added Ash Wednesday. In fact, Dionysis also stood for death and resuscitation. And so it is to this day that these pagan feasts survive. 

Modern Carnival, or Mardi Gras, is a melange (mezcla), or mix of old legends that endure, because they INFlame and INFect the imagination. In this sense, Carnival is like an anesthetic - an escape from the rational - people are free to act as fools, dress like fools, and commit acts like fools by folling around - Carnial provides and an escape or liCENSE for  licentious "fooling around" under the tutelage and temporar rule by Momous or Momo, whose task is to mock and laugh at the mortals acting foolishly.