Feast of Fools

The Feast of Fools, a medieval celebration, originated in Southern France during the Middle Ages and involved the election of a false Bishop, false Archbishop, or false Pope. Participants would also parody ecclesiastical rituals and change places among higher and lower-level clergy. The feast, which took place from December 26 to January 1, was led by different people in positions of power within the church, with each day led by a different group of people, including deacons, sub-priests, choirboys, and sub-deacons. The feast's exact origin is hard to pin down, but it is believed to have emerged in Central Europe, possibly between 1119 and 1124, with some historians tracing its start to the "Herod games" or "ludi" performed on Innocents Day, which involved mocking the story of King Herod. The feast's focus on King Herod may have contributed to its limited survival and spread, as it was essentially a trend in medieval theatre that did not have long-term significance.learn more on wikipedia