Mi-Carême - French


The Origins of the Mi-Carême
The origin of Mi-Carême is lost in the mists of time. It has been celebrated in many European communities since the Middle Ages.

The essence of the carnival-like Mi-Carême is a spirit of joy, laughter and mockery that contrasts with the Lenten period of austerity, severity and penance leading up to Easter. Lent begins the day after Ash Wednesday and ends the day before Easter. Mi-Carême literally means the middle of Lent.

The Mi-Carême tradition crossed the Atlantic Ocean with the first French-speaking settlers to the New World.

The Mi-Carême Today
During Mi-Carême many people, called les mi-carêmes, disguised from head to toe, visit their neighbours, who try to guess their identity. When the guessing game is over, the mi-carêmes unmask and enjoy a treat before heading to their next destination where the game begins again.

Although once practised in all Acadian communities, it is only still celebrated in the Acadian communities of Saint-Joseph-du-Moine, Magré and Chéticamp.

There are also three communities in the province of Quebec that still celebrate the Mi-Carême: Fatima in the region of Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Îsle-aux-Grues in the region of Chaudière-Appalaches and Natashquan in the region of Côte-Nord.

The Mi-Carême Calendar
Mi-Carême (Mid-Lent) can be as early as the 26th of February and as late as April 1st.

To calculate the date of the Mi-Carême fête, a movable feast that changes each year, you will have to do the following calculations.

Find the date for Easter; that is, the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21st.

Lent, the period of penance before Easter, begins on Ash Wednesday, the day after Mardi Gras, and ends on the Saturday before Easter.

Mi-Carême is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the Lenten period. This is the halfway point between Ash Wednesday and Easter.

For many years, the parishes of Chéticamp and Saint-Joseph-du-Moine have celebrated Mi-Carême for one week. The festivities begin the Sunday before the fourth Thursday of Lent and end on the following Saturday.

All info from: http://www.micareme.ca/en/micareme

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