Image: A reveler, dressed as "Diablos de Luzon" or Luzon Devil's, and others dressed as "Mascaritas," take part in the carnival celebration in the small village of Luzon, Spain, Feb. 25, 2017.

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Strange and Beautiful Carnival Scenes From Around the World

The festival of excess and indulgence is in full swing as the world's Christians prepare for the start of 40 days of Lent on March 1.

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Image: Revelers celebrate "Ash Monday" by participating in a colorful "flour war," a traditional festivity marking the end of the carnival season and the start of the 40-day Lent period until the Orthodox Easter,in Galaxidi, Greece, Feb. 27, 2017.

Greece

Revelers celebrate "Ash Monday" by participating in a colorful "flour war," a traditional festivity marking the end of the carnival season and the start of the 40-day Lent period until the Orthodox Easter, in the port town of Galaxidi on Feb. 27, 2017.

— Alkis Konstantinidis / Reuters
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Image: A man carrying skulls walks with his band in the National Carnival Parade, in the city of Les Cayes, southwest Haiti, on Feb. 26, 2017. Their bodies are painted with a mixture of cane sugar and coal.

Haiti

A man carrying skulls walks with his band in a Carnival parade in Les Cayes on Feb. 26. Their bodies are painted with a mixture of cane sugar and coal. 

— Hector Retamal / AFP - Getty Images
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Image: A reveler performs during a carnival parade in Santo Domingo on Feb. 25, 2017.

Dominican Republic

A reveler performs during a Carnival parade in Santo Domingo on Feb. 25.

— Erika Santelices / AFP - Getty Images
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Image: Revelers perform during a carnival parade in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Feb. 25, 2017.

Dominican Republic

Costumed revelers perform during a Carnival parade in Santo Domingo on Feb. 25.

— Erika Santelices / AFP - Getty Images
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Image: A performer breaths fire during the Great Traditional Parade at the Barranquilla Carnival, in Barranquilla, Colombia, Feb. 26, 2017.

Colombia

A performer breathes fire in Barranquilla on Feb. 26.

— Ricardo Maldonado Rozo / EPA
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Image: A woman in costume dances during the carnival parade in Ovar, Portugal, Feb. 26, 2017.

Portugal

A woman in costume dances during the Carnival parade in Ovar on Feb. 26.

— Paulo Novais / EPA
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Image: Women dressed as "madamas" dance as they take part in a parade during the carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on Feb. 26, 2017.

Venezuela

Women dressed as "madamas" dance in a Carnival parade in El Callao on Feb. 26. El Callao's carnival, led by the "madamas," was recently named part of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 

— Juan Barreto / AFP - Getty Images
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Image: A member of a rival team is hit by an orange during an annual carnival orange battle in the northern Italian town of Ivrea, Feb. 26, 2017.

Italy

A man is hit by an orange thrown by a rival team during the annual Carnival orange battle in Ivrea on Feb. 26. 

— Stefano Rellandini / Reuters
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Image: People wear local carnival costumes during the parade of "Carnaval de Dunkerque" in Dunkirk, France, Feb. 26, 2017.

France

Locals wear Carnival costumes in Dunkirk on Feb. 26. 

— Pascal Rossignol / Reuters
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Image: Carnival revelers dressed as "Peliqueiros" run along a street in the village of Laza, Spain, Feb. 26, 2017.

Spain

Young men dressed as "Peliqueiros," ancient tax collectors, run through the streets in Laza on Feb. 26. Peliqueiros pursued villagers through the streets ringing their cowbells and hitting villagers with their sticks.

— Miguel Vidal / Reuters
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Image:A dressed up young woman is assisted in adjusting her hat at the beginning of the annual Paris' carnival on Feb. 26, 2017, in Paris.

Paris

A young woman's hat is adjusted at the beginning of the Paris Carnival on Feb. 26. 

— Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt / AFP - Getty Images
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Image: Dancers perform the traditional "Diablada" or Dance of the Devils, during the Carnival of Oruro, in Oruro, Bolivia, Feb. 25, 2017.

Bolivia

Dancers perform the traditional "Diablada," or Dance of the Devils, during Carnival in Oruro on Feb. 25. The festival dates back more than 200 years in an ongoing pagan-Catholic blend of religious practice in the region.

— Juan Karita / AP
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Image: Witches of the Waldkircher Kandelhexen Witches' Club look out of windows as they prepare to celebrate the traditional witches' sabbath at the market square of Waldkirch, southern Germany, Feb. 25, 2017.

Germany

Witches prepare to celebrate the traditional witches' sabbath at the market square in Waldkirch on Feb. 25. 

— Michael Probst / AP
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Image: Dancers perform during the carnival in Encarnacion, Paraguay, Feb. 26, 2017.

Paraguay

Dancers perform during Carnival in Encarnacion on Feb. 26. 

— Hector Retamal / AFP - Getty Images
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Image: A reveler, dressed as "Diablos de Luzon" or Luzon Devil's, and others dressed as "Mascaritas," take part in the carnival celebration in the small village of Luzon, Spain, Feb. 25, 2017.

Spain

A reveler, dressed as "Diablos de Luzon," or Luzon's Devils, is covered in oil and soot and carries bull horns on his head in Luzon on Feb. 25. Preserved records from the 14th century document Luzon's carnival, but the real origin of the tradition could be much older. Carnival festivals are celebrated in their own way around hundreds of villages in Spain.

— Daniel Ochoa de Olza / AP
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Image: Carnival goers dressed in masks and period costumes on Feb. 19, 2017 in Venice, Italy.

Italy

Revelers dress in masks and period costumes in Venice on Feb. 19. 

— Alberto Pizzoli / AFP - Getty Images
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Image: Young men and women with faces painted to resemble black-and-white masks wear white sheets and hold torches on long poles take part at the Torch Parade on the Greek island of Naxos, Feb. 25, 2017.

Greece

Young men and women with painted faces participate in the Torch Parade on the island of Naxos on Feb. 25. 

— Thanassis Stavrakis / AP
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Image: A nominee for queen of the Carnival of Santa Cruz shows off her outfit on the main stage in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife, Feb. 22, 2017.

Canary Islands

A nominee for queen of the Carnival of Santa Cruz shows off her outfit on the main stage on the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife on Feb. 22. 

— Desiree Martin / AFP - Getty Images
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Image: 'Straw-men', wearing masks and costumes made from jute bags stuffed with straw, take part in a carnival procession in Evolene, Switzerland, Feb. 26,2017.

Switzerland

"Straw-men," wearing masks and costumes made from bags stuffed with straw, walk in a Carnival procession in Evolene on Feb. 26. 

— Thomas Delley / EPA
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Image: Men dressed in a traditional carnival costume walk from house to house during the traditional folklore carnival parade in the village of Vortova, near Hlinsko, Czech Republic, Feb. 25, 2017.

Czech Republic

Men dressed in a traditional Carnival costumes walk from house to house in Vortova on Feb. 25. Cheerful masked revelers walk with a musical band through the village to celebrate the departing winter, forthcoming spring and the start of Lent. 

— Martin Divisek / EPA
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