The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, February 24, 1996            TAG: 9602240008
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A10  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   26 lines

WRONG CELEBRATION

Waterside has scheduled a ``Mardi Gras'' celebration for this weekend, and I am appalled that this has not drawn fire from many of the religious organizations in the area. Mardi Gras is the traditional celebration that is held worldwide the evening and the days preceding Lent. I attended an Ash Wednesday service on Feb. 21 at my church which signaled the beginning of Lent, the 40 days before Easter.

Waterside has seen fit to schedule a gala celebration, calling it Mardis Gras. This goes against religious dogma that has held up for centuries. Of course, it's not difficult to see through the reason to do this: money. But the celebration really should be called something else.

FRANK E. WYNNE

Virginia Beach, Feb. 22, 1996 by CNB