Carnival or Shrovetide is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras.
Carnival in Rome, c. 1650
Rio's Carnival is the largest in the world according to Guinness World Records.
Feast of the Navigium Isidis, celebrated in Ancient Rome in honor of the goddess Isis
Oinochoe depicting the parade of an armed owl during the celebration of the Anthesteria (Greece, 410–390 BC)
Pre-Lent begins the Christian time of preparation for Easter, in the three weeks before Lent. This period launches a campaign of catechesis, reflected in the liturgical readings. Its best-known feature is its concluding three-day festival, Carnival or Shrovetide.
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard: print for Septuagesima