February 9th is National Pizza Day. This year, that fact is giving Fat Tuesday celebrators an even better excuse to indulge.

Although it's unknown who created National Pizza Day, that person was a hero. Pizza is a food that needs to be celebrated.

According to NationalDayCalendar.com, pepperoni is the most popular out of all pizza toppings. They also say that about 17% of all restaurants in the U.S. are pizzerias. Since there are literally innumerable restaurants in America, that's pretty impressive.

And for all you pizza lovers out there, today is particularly special. Not just because you get to celebrate pizza, but because it's Fat Tuesday.

Fat Tuesday is a Mardis Gras tradition (Mardis Gras is literally French for "Fat Tuesday") that marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Traditionally, people were supposed to fast during the entire 40 days of Lent, so they would consume a rich, fatty meal the day before Ash Wednesday.

Today, various churches observe Lent in different ways, so fasting is not always practiced as strictly. However, Mardis Gras has become a celebration nationwide, although it is not considered a national holiday.

People across America enjoy King Cake, the traditional Mardis Gras dish with a hidden surprise inside (a figurine of the baby Jesus). Observers consume pancakes, donuts, fast food, pasta, and.....pizza.

Pizza is greasy, fatty, and offers no valuable nutrition. It's the perfect Fat Tuesday meal!

While none of the large pizza chains have announced special deals for National Pizza Day or Fat Tuesday, there is still time left. Look out for specials from your favorite pizza joint.

Happy Fat Tuesday and happy National Pizza Day!

More From 98.7 The Bomb