Lent excess before Lent begins. Some of the most famous are the Carnival of Barranquilla, the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the Carnival of Venice, Cologne Carnival, the New Orleans Mardi Gras, the Rio de Janeiro carnival, and the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The day immediately preceding Lent is variously called Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday"), Pancake Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday. Sometimes, it is the peak of the pre-Lenten festival, while sometimes it is largely occupied with preparations for Lent. The observances vary from culture to culture, and even from town to town. Originally, in Lebanon and Syria, the last Thursday
Presbyterian Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro On August 1926 Rev. Matthias Gomes de Santos remade the project of constructing a new building. He invited the architect Ascanio Viana who redesigned the building in a Neo-Gothic style. This work lasted about 14 years. It was several times renovated, the last was in 2002. The church celebrated its 150th anniversary on Thursday, January 12, 2012. Presbyterian Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro The Presbyterian Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro () is a historic congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil. It was the first Presbyterian church in the country. Ashbel Green Simonton established the church on January 12, 1862.