After two years of being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Carnival with its vibrant colors and elaborate costumes. Carnival usually takes place before the beginning of the 40 days of austerity of Lent every year. The name of the festival is said to originate from the medieval Latin “carnem levare” or “carnelevarium”, which means to remove meat. Therefore, this festival is considered an act of saying goodbye to “pleasures of the flesh” before the beginning of the Christian Lent. During this time, believers are obliged to abstain from meat, avoid sexual relations and follow other ascetic regulations.
Venice Carnival 2023 (Carnevale di Venezia 2023) takes place from February 4-21 in Venice, Italy
During the festival, Venice is alive with music and color. The streets, piers, and St. Mark's Square are filled with thousands of people dressed in colorful and extravagant costumes in the style of classical evening gowns, with the highlight being masks, feathered hats, wigs, etc.
Masks are the most characteristic feature of the Venice carnival, making social classes disappear, erasing age gaps, rich-poor boundaries, and gender.
Traditionally, masquerade masks were made of leather or papier-mâché using traditional techniques. Today, masks are also made of plaster and gold leaf, and are always hand-painted, with feathers and gemstones added.
The Carnival of Venice, which aims to restore lost history and culture, is an opportunity for people to escape from everyday life and transform into someone else, an occasion for people to have fun, dance and praise the history of the formation of a peaceful country, a fair society, as well as to encourage the patriotic spirit of each citizen.
This event is a cultural feature of Venice, the city of canals.
The first Venice Carnival was held in 1296. After a long hiatus, it was revived in 1980 and was held regularly every year until the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the carnival was canceled, and in 2020, the event was open to locals only.
Each year the festival has a different theme but all aim to honor culture and create joyful holidays for people on the occasion of the New Year.
Venice Carnival participants
From the streets, piers, squares of Italy are dyed colorful and splendid by thousands of people dressed in classic evening gowns.
A person wearing a black mask takes part in the Venice Carnival in Venice, Italy
The masquerade also had the presence of many nobles.
Taking place on the streets for 18 consecutive days, the colorful festival attracts tourists from all over the world.
Phuong Thao
Source: Synthesis
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