LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — If you’re observing Lent and trying to figure out what’s on the menu, you might be overlooking a Louisiana staple—alligator.
That’s right. According to the Archdiocese of New Orleans, alligator is permissible to eat on Fridays in Lent, so you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging in a fried gator po’boy or a rich alligator sauce piquante while observing the season.
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Why Is Alligator Allowed During Lent?
The Catholic Church’s rules on abstinence from meat during Lent primarily apply to land animals—such as chickens, cows, sheep, and pigs. However, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and shellfish are considered permissible under the guidelines set by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
In a 2010 letter, Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans responded to a parishioner’s inquiry and confirmed that alligators fall into the “seafood” category for Lenten purposes.
“Yes, the alligator is considered in the fish family,” Aymond wrote, adding that the creature is “a magnificent creature that is important to the state of Louisiana.”…