Traditional carnivals are held in many Christian countries around the world on Shrove Tuesday. As it is the day before the fasting period of Lent begins, believers use up all their sugar, fat and eggs in foods such as pancakes. This gives Shrove Tuesday the name Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday.
Carnivals often involve masked devilish figures running riot through villages, scaring the locals. In this gallery, we look at some of the more bizarre carnivals that took place around the world on Shrove Tuesday 2015.
Revellers wearing masks pose for photographers during carnival festivities in the north-eastern Portuguese village of PodenceRafael Marchante/ReutersRevellers wearing wooden masks and bells take part in the Caretos carnival in the village of Vila Boa de Ousilhao, in north-eastern PortugalMiguel Riopa/AFPRevellers wearing traditional wooden masks and costumes pose on a cart during the traditional Celtic carnival "Caretos" in the Portuguese village of Vila Boa de OusilhaoMiguel Riopa/AFPA reveller wearing a wooden mask and straw costume jumps during the traditional Caretos carnival in the village of Lazarim, central PortugalFrancisco Leong/AFPA carnival reveller dressed as a devil poses during Carnival in the village of Lazarim, PortugalFrancisco Leong/AFPCarnival revellers dressed as "Peliqueiros" (tax collectors) run along a street in Laza, north-western Spain, ringing their cowbells and hitting villagers with their sticksMiguel Vidal/ReutersZiripot, a traditional figure stuffed with straw, whose role as the strongest person in the village is to defeat the evil bandit Miel Otxin, is helped up during carnival celebrations in the village of Lantz, Navarra, SpainVincent West/ReutersA man covered in cow's blood and wearing a traditional costume parades during the carnival in the northern Spanish village of Alsasua, in Navarra provinceAnder Gillenea/AFPRevellers participate in a flour fight during the "O Entroido" festival in the north-western Spanish village of LazaMiguel Vidal/ReutersRevellers stage a flour fight during carnival in Laza, SpainMiguel Vidal/ReutersClown-like performers known as Gilles take part in a carnival parade in the streets of Binche, BelgiumBenoit Doppagne/AFPGilles of Binche, with enormous ostrich plumes on their heads, throw oranges at members of the publicYves Herman/ReutersChildren dressed as Pierrot dance around flares while the Gilles of Binche stand togetherYves Herman/ReutersRevellers wearing carved carnival masks parade through the village of Elzach in the Black Forest, GermanyMichael Dalder/ReutersPeople in traditional costumes and carnival masks parade through the village of Elzach in the Black Forest, GermanyMichael Dalder/ReutersA carnival float with a papier-mâché caricature of Russia's President Vladimir Putin with the words "military" and "economy" written on his biceps drives past revellers during the traditional Rose Monday carnival parade in Duesseldorf, GermanyIna Fassbender/ReutersA float with satirical sculptures of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras slaying German Chancellor Angela Merkel is seen at the annual Rose Monday carnival parade in DuesseldorfIna Fassbender/ReutersA carnival float with a papier-mâché sculpture depicting the Charlie Hebdo massacre takes part in the Rose Monday carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany. The speech bubble reads: "You can't kill satire"Ina Fassbender/ReutersA reveller with a set of shark's jaws on his head celebrates at a party known as "Os Cao" (The Dog) in the Redinha mangrove swamps in Rio Grande do Norte state, north-eastern BrazilNuno Guimaraes/ReutersA mud-covered man rides a horse covered in mud at the annual block party known as "Os Cao" (The Dog) in Redinha in Rio Grande do Norte state, north-eastern BrazilNuno Guimaraes/ReutersRevellers cover themselves in mud from the Redinha mangrove swamps in Rio Grande do Norte stateNuno Guimaraes/ReutersRival teams the 'Up'ards and Down'ards' battle for the ball during the annual Ashbourne Shrovetide football match in Ashbourne, England. First played in the 17th Century between teams from opposite ends of the Derbyshire town, hundreds of participants aim to get a ball into one of two goals that are positioned three miles apart at either end of AshbouneChristopher Furlong/Getty ImagesA player competing in the annual Royal Shrovetide Football Match waits in the water in the hope of receiving the ball in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. The game, which has very few rules, is played over two eight-hour periods on Shrove Tuesday and Ash WednesdayOli Scarff/AFPA player takes a break during the annual Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide 'no rules' football matchChristopher Furlong/Getty ImagesOpposing teams of the Up'ards and the Down'ards compete in the annual Royal Shrovetide Football Match in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, EnglandOli Scarff/AFP
