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After these end-of-the-year parties, as they are also called, come the carnivals
which are celebrated on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. I wanted to include here
the description of the carnival party, even though it is not part of the spirituality, because
it is related to the beginning of Lent. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter.
Eleuterio Madrid Olmos in costume for the Carnivals. 90’s
Photo provided by Arcadio Varona
The first day of Lent, which is a time of fasting and abstinence, was a customary
time to celebrate the carnivals. This is done by getting into costume, eating and dancing
in a night gathering which takes place on Tuesday, a day before Ashe Wednesday. In
Ciadoncha this was one of the best parties. The people’s creativity to dress themselves in
costume was incredible. The costumes were home-made. They dressed as Muslims,
sailors, as Indians. Fake wigs, glasses and mustaches came out that night and there were
always surprises. No one knew what costumes the others would wear and that
anticipation created what many liked to enjoy the evening.
Many years ago, the children went from school to the ash ceremony in the church
on Ash Wednesday. This ceremony consisted of the priest imprinting a cross with the
ashes on the forehead while he reminds the faithful that they are dust and will confer into
dust one day. Today there are no children, but the ceremony remains the same.
Lent is a time to reflect and make sacrifices. The Friday’s during lent were called
“de vigilia” (of vigil) and cooked stew was not eaten at home, but instead tortilla, cooked
eggs or fish. It was customary to do some kind of fasting on Fridays, so when lentils or
chick-pea are cooked without meat they are said to be Friday lentils or chick-peas.
Many years ago, in Ciadoncha it was customary that during Lent, the youth would
go every Sunday house to house singing a song that says:
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