THE ROMAN CARNIVAL

ARE YOU READY FOR CARNIVAL? LET'S SEE...

Walking the streets of Rome this month you may notice children dressed in costumes throwing confetti and 'coriandoli' (coloured pieces of paper) of each other; normally you only throw coriandoli at the masks you like. You may meet a lot of them along Via Cola di Rienzo and perhaps wonder what is going on! Well, this is Carneval, a feast which still survives in this form and in many fancy-dress parties. Let's explore the story of this celebration and get some idea about how to enjoy this Carnevale Romano... The month of February, usually so cold and dark, does, however, contain the seeds of spring which soon burst into familiar scents and colours. Just as spring is the beginning of a new cycle, February represents the end of an old one. It was natural that this passage from winter to spring, representing the rebirth of nature, received special attention in a civilization whose economy was based on agriculture and was thus tied to the cycle of the seasons. Some pagan celebrations, with origins lost in the mists of time, continued into Papal Rome. Indeed, it would have been difficult for the Church to rid itself entirely of such deeply-felt ancient rites, so it chose not only to tolerate them, but also to imbue them with a new symbolism. Thus, through this archaic symbolism, those evolved into the Carnevale Romano that can be regarded as a rich aid in the comprehension of man's nature and fears. The Carnevale Romano, in the form described here, continued until about 100 years ago. We'll look for traces of it...

You can find the complete article on www.nerone.cc [ Articles Archive ]