Maslenitsa is one of the most fun holidays of the year, which is widely celebrated throughout Russia. It reflects centuries-old traditions, carefully preserved and passed down from generation to generation. This is a week-long holiday ritual with round dances, songs, dances, games, dedicated to saying goodbye to winter and welcoming spring.
history of the holiday
In fact, Maslenitsa is an ancient pagan holiday. It is believed that Maslenitsa was originally associated with the day of the spring solstice, but with the adoption of Christianity, it began to precede Great Lent and depend on its timing.
In Rus', it has long been customary to celebrate the change of seasons. Winter has always been a difficult time for people: cold, hungry, dark. Therefore, the arrival of spring was especially rejoiced, and it was necessary to celebrate it. Our ancestors said that it is difficult for young Spring to overcome the old treacherous Winter. To help Spring drive away Winter, they organized fun festivities on Maslenitsa. Saying goodbye to Winter, the ancients praised Yarila - the pagan god of the sun and fertility. Yarilo was presented to the Russians in the form of a young man who died annually and resurrected again. Yarilo, resurrected, gave people the sun, and the sunny spring warmth is the first step towards a bountiful harvest. Before the baptism of Rus', the Maslenitsa holiday was celebrated 7 days before the day of the Spring Equinox and another week after.
With the adoption of Christianity, the celebration of Maslenitsa shifted and shortened by a whole week. The church did not dare to cancel Maslenitsa and ban entertainment, despite all the merry and not very religious traditions: this holiday was too significant for the people. But Maslenitsa week quite harmoniously fit into Christian traditions. Maslenitsa began to be celebrated on the eve of Lent. A week before Lent, it is no longer possible to eat meat, but people don’t really need it, because pancakes are baked on Maslenitsa. They are quite enough to feel full and not suffer from a lack of meat food. This is a great opportunity for the Orthodox to eat before Lent. But in the Orthodox interpretation, Shrovetide week is not so much a week of fun, but a week of preparation for Great Lent, forgiveness, reconciliation, this is a time that needs to be devoted to good communication with relatives, friends, and doing good.
Boris Kustodiev. Maslenitsa. 1916
Shrovetide: why is it called that?
The most common is the following version: on Maslenitsa, people tried to appease, that is, butter up the spring. Therefore, the celebrations were called “Shrovetide”.
According to another version, this name appeared after the adoption of Christianity. You can't eat meat, but you can eat dairy products. Therefore, people baked pancakes and poured plenty of oil on them. This is where the name associated with butter pancakes comes from. This week was also called meat-fare - due to the fact that there is an abstinence from meat, and cheese - because a lot of cheese is eaten this week.
And they also called Maslenitsa among the people "honest", "wide", "gluttonous", and even "the ruiner".
Traditions and customs
Our ancestors revered the sun as God, because it gave life to everything. People rejoiced at the sun, which, with the approach of spring, began to appear more and more often. Therefore, a tradition appeared in honor of the spring sun to bake round cakes resembling the sun in shape. It was believed that by eating such a dish, a person would receive a piece of sunlight and heat. Over time, flat cakes were replaced with pancakes. Round, ruddy, hot - pancakes are a symbol of the sun, which means renewal and fertility.
Also in Ancient Rus', pancakes were considered a memorial dish and they were prepared in memory of departed relatives. Pancakes have also become a symbol of Winter's burial.
Pancakes for Maslenitsa had to be baked and eaten as much as possible. They were served with all sorts of fillings: fish, cabbage, honey, and, of course, butter and sour cream. Baking pancakes has become a kind of ritual to attract the sun, prosperity, prosperity, well-being. The more pancakes are cooked and eaten, the sooner spring will begin, the better the harvest will be.
Sergei Utkin. Pancakes. 1957
In addition to baking pancakes, there were other Shrovetide rites associated with sun worship. So, for example, various ritual actions were performed based on the magic of the circle, because the sun is round. Young people, and adults too, harnessed the horses, prepared the sleigh and went around the village several times in a circle. In addition, they decorated the wooden wheel with bright ribbons and walked down the street with it, fastening it on a pole. During the general festivities, round dances were necessarily led, which were also a ritual associated with the circle, that is, with the sun. It symbolized the sun and fire: the guys lit the wooden wheels and rolled down the hill. Who was able to roll his wheel without a single fall, happiness, luck and prosperity awaited him this year.
The most popular pastimes that used to be held in the villages during Maslenitsa were fist fights, sleigh rides, climbing a pole for a prize, eating pancakes for a while, and, of course, round dances, songs and dances.
Another indispensable participant in the Maslenitsa festivities was the bear. People put on a bearskin on one of the men, after which the mummers began to dance along with their fellow villagers. Later, in the cities, a live bear was also shown on the square. The bear has become one of the symbols of Maslenitsa and the onset of spring, because in winter the bear sleeps in a den, and wakes up in spring. The bear woke up - it means that spring has come.
And, of course, the symbol of the holiday is an effigy of Maslenitsa, made of straw and dressed in bright clothes. The scarecrow personified both the Maslenitsa holiday itself and the evil winter. On the last day of Maslenitsa, the scarecrow was burned on a ritual fire.
On Maslenitsa, it has always been customary to eat and have fun as much as possible.
Boris Kustodiev. Maslenitsa. 1919
Our ancestors believed that those who do not eat and have fun on Maslenitsa will live the coming year poorly and bleakly.
By the way, in pagan times in Rus', the New Year was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox, that is, Maslenitsa and the New Year were celebrated on the same day. Winter is over and it means the new year has arrived. And according to old beliefs, it was believed: as a person meets the year, so he will be. Therefore, they did not skimp on a generous feast and unrestrained fun on this holiday.
Maslenitsa week
Maslenitsa is celebrated for seven days, from Monday to Sunday. The whole week is divided into two periods: Narrow Maslenitsa and Wide Maslenitsa. Narrow Shrovetide - the first three days: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Wide Shrovetide - these are the last four days, from Thursday to Sunday. In the first three days, the housewives could do household chores and clean up. From Thursday, all work stopped, and the Wide Maslenitsa began. On these days, any housework and housework was prohibited. It was only allowed to have fun and bake pancakes.
Each day of Shrove Tuesday has its own name and is filled with a unique meaning.
So, the days of Shrovetide week:
Monday - "Meeting".
The first day of Shrovetide week is called "Meeting" - this is the meeting of Maslenitsa. On this day they start baking pancakes. According to tradition, the first pancake was given to the poor, poor and needy people, so that they would pray for the souls of deceased relatives, or the pancake was left on the doorstep as a tribute to their ancestors.
On Monday, we dealt with organizational issues related to the festivities. On this day, preparations for the holiday were completed: snow slides, booths, swings, stalls for trade were completed.
In the morning, the father-in-law and mother-in-law sent the daughter-in-law to her father and mother for a day, in the evening they themselves came to visit the matchmakers and treated themselves to pancakes, rejoicing at the beginning of Shrovetide week.
And it was on this day that a stuffed Maslenitsa was made from straw and other improvised materials, dressed up in old clothes, various rags, at the same time getting rid of junk. Then the effigy was impaled and driven in a sledge through the streets, and finally put on public display in the main street or square of the village until Sunday.
Tuesday - "Games".
Tuesday was traditionally a day of festivities, games and fun. On this day, fun began in the morning, they rode sledges, ice slides, carousels. Buffoons walked the streets, entertaining the people and treating themselves to the generous alms of the hostesses.
Leonid Solomatkin. Maslenitsa. 1878
On this day, relatives and friends were invited to pancakes.
Flirting was the day of matchmaking in the villages. Young people furtively looked at each other, the guys looked after their brides, the girls stared at the guys and furtively wondered which of them would be the first to send matchmakers. And the parents looked closely at the future relatives and in a comic form began to agree on the upcoming celebration.
All Shrovetide rites, in fact, were reduced to matchmaking, in order to have a wedding immediately after Lent.
Wednesday - "Gourmet".
On Wednesday, according to tradition, the son-in-law came to his mother-in-law for pancakes, which she prepared especially for him. The mother-in-law had to feed her son-in-law to her heart's content and in every possible way showed her disposition to her daughter's husband. From this custom came the expression "The son-in-law came, where can I get sour cream?". There could be several sons-in-law, other guests, relatives, neighbors were invited, and the tables were bursting with refreshments. The sons-in-law praised their mother-in-laws and sang songs of praise to them and played funny scenes with dressing up. Women and girls gathered together, rode sleighs through the villages and also sang merry songs and ditties.
Thursday - "Revelry".
From that day on, the Broad Maslenitsa began. All chores stopped and real festivities unfolded in honor of Maslenitsa. The people with might and main indulged in all sorts of fun, games and fun. People rode down hills, on swings and carousels, had fun horse riding, sleigh rides, played snowballs, feasted noisily, all this was accompanied by cheerful round dances and chants.
On this day, fisticuffs and wall-to-wall games were usually held, where young people showed their prowess and become, showing off in front of girls and brides. The inhabitants of two villages, landlord and monastic peasants, inhabitants of a large village living in opposite ends could participate in the battles and compete. Moreover, they prepared for the battle very seriously: they took a steam bath in the bathhouse, ate hearty food to gain strength, and even turned to the sorcerers with a request to give a special conspiracy to win.
One of the favorite traditional pastimes was the assault and capture of the ice fortress. The guys built a town of ice and snow with a gate, they planted guards there, and then went on the attack: they climbed the walls, broke into the gates. The besieged defended themselves as best they could: snowballs, brooms and whips were used.
Vasily Surikov. Capture of the snow town. 1891
The meaning of these games, as well as the whole Maslenitsa, is a splash of negative energy accumulated over the winter and the resolution of various conflicts between people.
Children and youth went from house to house with tambourines, horns, balalaikas, singing carols. They were willingly treated with delicacies and conveyed greetings and bows to their parents and relatives.
In the cities, residents, dressed in the best outfits, took part in festive festivities, went to theatrical performances and booths to watch fun with a bear and buffoons.
Konstantin Makovsky. Folk festivities during Shrove Tuesday on Admiralteyskaya Square in St. Petersburg. 1869
Friday - Mother-in-law evening.
On this day, the son-in-law invited his mother-in-law to his pancakes. The mother-in-law came with a return visit, and even with her relatives and friends. Pancakes that day were baked by the daughter - the wife of the son-in-law. The son-in-law had to demonstrate his disposition towards his mother-in-law and her relatives. Family gatherings strengthened relations between relatives, and the general fun reminded of the imminent approach of the long-awaited spring and warmth.
Saturday - "Zolovkina gatherings."
On this day, the daughter-in-law honorably invited her husband's relatives to the house for pancakes. If the sisters-in-law, sisters of husbands, were unmarried, the daughter-in-law invited her unmarried girlfriends to common gatherings. If the husband's sisters were already married, then the daughter-in-law called her married relatives. The newlywed, according to custom, prepared gifts for her sisters-in-law and presented them to each.
Sunday - "Seeing Shrovetide". Forgiveness Sunday.
Shrovetide week ends with Forgiveness Sunday. On this day, close people ask each other for forgiveness for all the troubles and insults caused during the year. After the adoption of Christianity on this day, they necessarily went to church: the rector asked for forgiveness from the parishioners, and the parishioners from each other, and bowed, asking for forgiveness. In response to a request for forgiveness, the phrase "God will forgive" is traditionally pronounced. Also on Forgiveness Sunday, it was customary to go to the cemetery and commemorate the deceased relatives.
Like many years ago, the burning of an effigy on Sunday is considered to be the culmination of the whole Maslenitsa today. This action symbolizes the farewell to winter and the onset of spring. On this day, people held fairs, tea parties with bagels, rolls and pancakes, played games, danced round the Shrovetide scarecrow, sang and danced, and, finally, burned the scarecrow, dreaming that everything bad that happened in life would burn with it and the ashes were scattered over the fields.
Semyon Kozhin. Maslenitsa. Seeing off winter. 2001
Large bonfires were also a significant tradition, they were burned on purpose to melt the remnants of snow and invite the beautiful spring to visit as soon as possible. Old unnecessary things were thrown into the fires, thus getting rid of everything that interfered with life. Round dances were made around the fires, and one of the favorite pastimes was jumping over a blazing fire. On this day, all old grievances and conflicts were forgotten, and they said: "Whoever remembers the old, that's out of the eye."
Shrovetide omens.
There are many signs associated with Maslenitsa. It is believed that the more pancakes baked, the more luck, money and health will be in the family this year. If you skimp on treats and bake few pancakes, then it will not matter with finances.
If the pancakes turned out to be poorly baked or ugly, this meant that difficult times, illnesses and troubles were not far off. In the process of making pancakes, it was necessary to be in a good mood, think about good deeds and wish everyone who treats themselves with a pancake, goodness and happiness. Each housewife had her own pancake recipes for Maslenitsa, and they did not always reveal their secrets. In addition to eggs, flour and milk that are familiar to all of us, they added potatoes, apples, buckwheat, nuts, and corn to the dough.
Even our ancestors believed that the cold and rainy weather before the start of Shrovetide - to a good harvest and well-being. And the girls who wanted to get married had to drunkenly drink all the men they met - acquaintances and strangers, because meeting with a tipsy man on Maslenitsa is also a good omen, promising a happy and long marriage.
The traditions of celebrating Maslenitsa are rooted deep into our history. And in the old days, and now this holiday is celebrated on a grand scale, with a variety of entertainment and, of course, with pancakes. Many Maslenitsa traditions have survived to this day. No wonder Shrovetide is one of the most fun folk festivals!
Merry Maslenitsa, delicious pancakes and well-being!
Maslenitsa is interesting and unique, if only because it is the only one of a series of pagan holidays that has been recognized by the official Orthodox Church: all other holidays of the pre-Christian Slavs were more or less gently adapted to biblical stories or consigned to oblivion.
In Orthodoxy, this holiday began to be called a cheese, or meat-fare, week: in the last week before Lent, it is already forbidden to eat meat and fish, but cheese, sour cream and, of course, butter are quite permissible - all this is consumed on an incredible scale all week with ruddy pancakes. This year we will start celebrating it on February 12, Monday. Interesting facts and traditions of the celebration are in this review.
The pagan Maslenitsa was celebrated for two weeks
Initially - obviously, hundreds, or even thousands of years ago - the pagan Maslenitsa began a week before the spring equinox on March 21 and ended a week after it, that is, the holiday lasted for two whole weeks in total. All this time, housework practically ceased, pancakes were baked from batter every day - symbols of the new sun.
Symbolism of the circle in Maslenitsa
In order to quickly drive away the cold, they burned bonfires and lowered burning wheels from hills and hills, played, arranged fisticuffs, flirted and had fun, honoring Yarila in such a cheerful way - the god of the sun, fertility, procreation and life in general.
The shape of the circle occurs more than once in the ritual side of the holiday: in addition to pancakes and burning wheels, it is also an obligatory joint drinking of a ritual drink - it should be drunk in turn, be sure to try to forgive everyone who was in the circle, otherwise anger and envy will poison a person's existence until the next spring equinox. Driving round dances was also considered mandatory - perhaps, despite the seeming simplicity, the sacred meaning of such walking in a circle is much deeper than it seems, and this is not just a dance.
Pancakes were at the same time a memorial food - the continuation and birth of a new life is impossible without honoring the roots: ancestors, ancestors. On the last day of Maslenitsa, a straw effigy was burned - as a rule, it was dressed in a woman's dress and symbolized Morana - the cruel goddess of winter and death.
Maslenitsa used to be called differently
The holiday is so deeply rooted in antiquity that even its exact name cannot be established - there are several versions, each of which seems quite logical, but there is no way to check them either.
Komoyeditsa is one of the possible names
Komoyeditsa is one of the surviving names of the holiday that have come down to us, during which the gods from the Light World were revered - Rule. The Yarilo-sun melted the snow, revived nature, and the bears, who were also called “Kom”, woke up. The bear has always been the personification of power and strength, one of the key figures in mythology associated with the main god - Perun.
It was the clubfoot that made pancake sacrifices - which is understandable, if only because the bear after hibernation is quite dangerous for humans, hence the expression “first pancake to coma”, which over time acquired a completely different meaning due to the replacement of one vowel (such transformations are not rare in history).
Other names for Maslenitsa
Shrovetide is called in different areas and now in different ways: Shrovetide, Shrovetide, Pancake, Pancake, Pancake-eater, Glutton, Gluttonous week, Obyedukha, Kolodiy, Tselovalnitsa, Shrovetide carol and Cheese week.
They tried to ban Shrovetide for 7 centuries
Until the 17th century, they tried to ban the holiday - but that was not the case. The most remarkable thing is that it was celebrated anyway, even despite the severity of Lent. As a result, the Church had no choice but to reconcile and leave Maslenitsa alone. True, they decided to save and postpone it from being tied to the day of the vernal equinox - now the beginning of the Maslenitsa week falls on a date that falls 8 weeks before the Easter holiday.
The sacred meaning of the pagan Maslenitsa
The deep meaning of the holiday of resurrection and renewal of the Earth and nature is truly cosmic in scope. Speaking in the language of an ancient myth, during these two weeks the fire of Dazhdbog left the sky, gaining strength in Svarga over the long winter, came to the sleeping Earth and warmed it, awakening the goddess Lelya to life.
Initially, she appeared in the form of a young girl, but on the very day of the spring equinox she became a ruddy, portly woman. The child-sun from Khors gradually turned into Yarila - a young man. As you can see, in the difficult process of the birth of a new life - spring - and the simultaneous veneration of ancestors, three gods are involved at once, although, perhaps, there were some other deities who helped to accomplish the miracle of heat and sun.
Maslenitsa - wedding time
Given the pairing required for true fertility, it is not surprising that it was during this spring time that it was customary to choose a bride and groom for themselves. Unmarried guys and those adults who still have not bothered to marry their grown children - including daughters - were tied with a shoe. This was done by midwives who took birth in women. Those on whom the block - a phallic symbol - appeared, should quickly help find a mate for their children, and even thank the midwife with a gift, propitiate her for the future.
Some historians argue that on the freshly thawed arable land under pancakes and an intoxicating drink, very frivolous games were also played in a circle, personifying the seething of vital juices, insemination and fertility in the literal sense.
Analogues of the holiday in Europe
It was customary to hold rituals of meeting the new spring very similar in meaning in other countries: in Western Europe, this is, first of all, the Beltane holiday, the roots of which go back to the religious traditions of the Druids. It is celebrated by baking the same pancakes, although sometimes on a smaller scale, games and fun in the fresh forest air.
Maslenitsa - "Indian" week
Apparently, in order for women not to be distracted from baking pancakes, visiting guests and matrimonial moods of the family, they were forbidden to sew and spin at this time - these two weeks were also called “woman's”.
A rather wisely drawn up schedule of the celebration made it possible to bake pancakes in turn - depending on their marital status, the rest of the women of the family did nothing on the housework that day.
Shrovetide schedule
A somewhat truncated version has survived to this day - since the holiday has been reduced to a week, but this week, as already mentioned, is scheduled by days, each of which has its own meaning and rituals.
Monday: meeting
They celebrated the meeting of the pure Maslenitsa. It was customary to start Shrovetide week by visiting relatives - the daughter-in-law went to visit her mother for a day from her father-in-law and mother-in-law, and in the evening they came there themselves. Already on the first day, booths for jesters were set up, there must have been sweets on the table.
Tuesday: gamble
From that day on, the fun turned on to the fullest - games and fun followed one after another, the guys and girls began to visit the guests for pancakes in the morning, running along the road to ride down the hill or lower the burning wheel from it after the round dance. It is not difficult to see matchmaking in all these cheerful traditions: first showing grown children, then bringing them together so that after Lent they will have a wedding on Krasnaya Gorka.
“Calls” went from house to house - an analogue of postmen who verbally jokingly invited young people from one family to the house of another at the request of their parents. These messengers were greeted with honor, treated to pancakes and intoxicated wine - or they were refused in a special joke form, asking them to convey: “We have built mountains and all guests are invited,” which meant an already existing marriage agreement with another family.
Wednesday: gourmet
Mother-in-law treated their sons-in-law with pancakes on this day, convoking other relatives at the same time - on this day it was supposed to eat pancakes literally to satiety. Sometimes for the female part of the family, “girls’ congresses” were organized on this day - young girls gathered, accompanied by elderly relatives, singing cheerful songs.
In the evenings, they sang songs during a costume performance about a mother-in-law who treated her son-in-law to pancakes: and her little head ached from the hassle near the stove, and she had to call a disguised bear to ease the torment, and the son-in-law said “thank you” like that.
Thursday: revelry
The main day of the Maslenitsa week. Fisticuffs were arranged - including “wall to wall”, the guys tried to climb a high smooth pillar for a prize tied to the top. Apparently, these were some kind of “show performances” for those who wanted to see the newly chosen groom in men's games. They rode in a sleigh with a stuffed Maslenitsa - and, of course, continued to treat themselves to pancakes.
Friday: mother-in-law vespers
Now the sons-in-law invited their mothers-in-law to visit them, treating their wives' mothers with the same pancakes and sweets. By lunchtime, the mother-in-law appeared with her entire large family - if she received an “honorable” invitation, or alone and for dinner if the invitation was “simple”.
Inviting the mother-in-law should have begun the evening before, and in the morning send special, smartly dressed “invitations”, and the more people sent with an invitation, the more respect was shown.
Saturday: sister-in-law gatherings
On this day, the young wife invited her husband's relatives to visit. The sisters of the husband were initially wary and distrustful of the newcomer from another family, and in order to break through this wall and establish contact, it was customary to give all the sisters of the husband special gifts. If they were already married, it was necessary to travel to their families with gifts and special treats.
Sunday: forgiveness day
As the name implies, on this day it was customary to ask for forgiveness and receive it. On the same day, an effigy of Maslenitsa was burned: old things were sent to the ritual fire, which symbolized sorrows and illnesses. The ashes were scattered over the fields “for fertility”.
Maslenitsa is a daring holiday on a grand scale and with a truly Russian soul. Fun festivities, sleigh rides, fun, meetings with friends and relatives, a huge amount of pancakes eaten, a great mood and most importantly - a premonition of spring, that's what Maslenitsa is!
Maslenitsa appeared during pagan times, that is, before the rise of Christianity. Maslenitsa was originally celebrated for two weeks, before and after the spring equinox, which for many peoples was the beginning of the New Year. Therefore, Maslenitsa was both a farewell to winter, and a meeting of spring (which has survived to this day), as well as New Year's holidays.
After the adoption of Christianity, the pagan holiday was not canceled, just the celebrations were halved and amounted to one week, which is often called the Cheese (or meat-fare) week, and the start date of Maslenitsa became “floating”, directly dependent on the date of Easter.
Maslenitsa is celebrated on the last week before Lent, when it is no longer possible to eat meat food, but so that the transition to the Lenten table is not so abrupt, it was allowed to enjoy pancakes with all kinds of fillings.
Usually Maslenitsa is celebrated in late February - early March, but, like Easter, it can be early (for example, in 2018 and 2029, Maslenitsa will begin on February 12).
For the Orthodox, Maslenitsa is a time to prepare for Lent, reconciliation and forgiveness. During Cheese Week, fasts are canceled on Wednesdays and Fridays, but meat is no longer supposed to be eaten.
Maslenitsa symbolizes the change of winter in spring, fertility and the beginning of a new life, but the dead have never been forgotten during Shrove Tuesday - after all, pancakes are not only small “suns”, but also a traditional memorial dish.
Fertility is the most important factor for all strata of the population, and therefore the effigy of Maslenitsa (the personification of fertility) was made in the form of a portly woman, with magnificent forms and a bright blush on her cheeks, in multi-layered clothes. The tradition of burning an effigy also "worked" for the future harvest - the ashes from Maslenitsa were scattered over the fields, still covered with snow, to increase fertility.
According to pagan rites, a stuffed animal of winter was made and burned on the last day of Maslenitsa, thereby making it clear that they were saying goodbye to it. But in early February, this is not entirely appropriate, so gradually the scarecrow began to be called Maslenaya or Shrovetide.
Maslenitsa is celebrated not only in Russia, but in almost all European countries. Eastern and Western Slavs, both Orthodox and Catholics, celebrate Myasopust- an analogue of Shrovetide week, during the holiday, festivities and fun joint entertainment of young people are organized, especially among unmarried boys and unmarried girls. The purpose of the holiday is to introduce young people and start new relationships that must end with a wedding so that children are born - the fertility of women in the popular sense is directly related to the fertility of the earth.
A well-known Carnival Western Catholics also celebrate the last week before Lent to have plenty of fun before the period of abstinence.
Each nation has its own name for Maslenitsa, for example, in Latvia they celebrate Metheny, and in Lithuania - Uzgovene, the Greeks have fun during Apokries, and the Armenians Boon Barekendan.
Narrow Shrovetide is called the first three days of the Cheese Week, on which not only the holiday was celebrated, but also things were done - housework, cleaning and preparing for the 40-day Lent. Wide Shrovetide was celebrated really widely and heartily - from Thursday to Sunday everything was forgotten, even urgent household chores, the holidays were completely filled with festivities and fun, each day was given a name and its own customs.
Monday - Meeting, the main preparations for the celebration were coming to an end, in the morning the daughter-in-law was sent to her parents' house, where the father-in-law went in the evening to discuss plans for Maslenitsa for a pancake treat. An interesting fact - the saying "The first pancake is lumpy" does not have the same meaning as we are used to. The fact is that in Rus' bears were called koma, which played an important role in the celebration of Maslenitsa - there are customs associated with waking the bear from winter sleep. So the first pancake was given to the comA, that is, to the bears, for their peace of mind and a full awakening. In fact, most often the first pancakes baked on Monday were given to the beggars to commemorate the dead.
Tuesday has a name , is characterized not only by walks and slides, but also by brides, where they invited each other to pancakes.
Wednesday - gourmets, sons-in-law came to pancakes to their mothers-in-law, where guests gathered after they finished the housework.
Thursday- the first day of the Broad Maslenitsa - wide revelry. Fist fights, sleigh rides drawn by three brightly dressed horses, practical jokes, slides and swings, mountains of pancakes with a wide variety of fillings, mead flowed like a river, buffoons, jesters and carnival processions - this is how they walked on Maslenitsa.
Friday called herself . The sons-in-law invited the mother-in-law and her relatives and treated them to pancakes with caviar and fish, as well as sweet fillings.
Saturday- This Zolov's gatherings. The sisters of the husband gathered in the house of the daughters-in-law, ate pancakes and did the most feminine things - they washed the bones for their husbands and their mothers. Young wives made gifts to their sister-in-laws in order to continue to live in peace and harmony.
Sunday known as Forgiven when it was imperative to go to church, where the priests asked for forgiveness from their parishioners, and those, in turn, from each other. A beautiful and bright custom still allows many to ask for forgiveness, which cannot be denied. After all, it is not for nothing that the answer to “Forgive me” always sounds - “God will forgive and I forgive.” On the last day of Maslenitsa, an effigy of Maslenitsa was burned, people visited cemeteries and went to the bathhouse to wash away sins and prepare for Lent.
Pancake recipes for Maslenitsa
At Shrovetide, every hostess knows what pancakes she will serve - those that she is best at! And if you want to turn a little off the beaten track of traditions, we offer several unhackneyed and healthy options, for example, buckwheat pancakes.
Ingredients:
- - 1/2 l.
- - 100 gr.
- - 150 gr.
- - 70 gr.
- - 2 pcs.
- - 1 tbsp. l.
- - 1 tsp
Sift both types of flour into a bowl, add salt and sugar, eggs and mix thoroughly. Introduce milk in small portions, without ceasing to stir the dough. At the end, add butter, previously melted and cooled to room temperature. Mix thoroughly, cover with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Bake pancakes in a very hot dry frying pan with a thick bottom. Serve with sour cream and any sweet toppings - jam or condensed milk.
Ingredients:
- (10 thin pancakes) - 300 gr.
- - 700 gr.
- - 1 PC.
- - 2 tbsp. l.
- - 40 gr.
- (to taste) - 2 gr.
The recipe for thin pancakes can be found in ours, bake thin pancakes, peel and finely chop the onion, sauté in vegetable oil, add champignons, cook for 10-15 minutes, salt. Put a couple of tablespoons of filling on the center of each pancake, form a bag by connecting the edges of the pancake and tie with a thin strip of Chechil.
Pancake Chocolate Cake
Pancake Ingredients:
- - 600 ml.
- - 100 gr.
Maslenitsa is one of the most beloved and hearty folk holidays. It is associated with the beginning of spring and the abundance of ruddy pancakes on the table. Maslenitsa does not have a fixed date and is celebrated 7 weeks before Easter, falling on the second half of February or the first days of March. This fun holiday is celebrated for a whole week, but not all pancake lovers know the history of the origin of Maslenitsa festivities.
Pre-Christian carnival
Maslenitsa is an ancient pagan holiday that symbolizes the end of a cold winter and the beginning of a long-awaited spring. In Proto-Slavic times, it was celebrated during the spring equinox, when daylight fully took away its rights from the night.
Pancakes were baked these days for a reason - round and hot delicacies glorified the spring sun, which shone brighter and delighted with warm rays. Another version is that the circle symbolizes the inevitable cycle of events, in this case, the return of spring and new life.
There is also a version that pancakes were an attribute of funeral treats, it is known that the Slavs have always worshiped the souls of their ancestors with food. The first pancake on Maslenitsa was traditionally donated to the poor so that they would commemorate their deceased relatives.
The main Shrovetide rite of the pagans is the burning of an effigy. By setting fire to the straw Zimushka, the ancient people believed that the cold would recede faster, and spring would come in time and help grow a rich harvest. The scarecrow was made from straw and rags, dressed in women's sundresses, decorated and seated on a stake. The symbol of winter was carried through the whole village, and then they were joyfully burned at the stake, and the earth was consecrated with ashes. Sometimes, instead of burning it, they lowered it into an ice-hole or symbolically tore it into small pieces, sprinkling the fields with straw.
The main sacred meaning of the ancient Maslenitsa is to consecrate the earth, to ask the spirits of the dead and the gods for a good harvest in the coming year. For the pagans, nature itself was God, so they made sacrifices to it and tried in every possible way to appease the higher powers.
cheese week
With the advent of Christianity, Maslenitsa acquired another meaning - it became a harbinger of Lent and was called Cheese Week. In total, preparation for fasting lasts 22 days, during this period Christians must tune in the right way in order to voluntarily accept all restrictions and receive purification.
In the final week before fasting, it is forbidden to eat meat, but it is allowed to feast on fish, dairy products and eggs. On cheese days, you do not need to fast on Wednesday and Friday, but on these days only one evening meal is allowed. Divine services during Cheesefare Week are not festive, but on Wednesdays and Fridays they are similar to Great Lent. On Saturday, the memory of all the venerable fathers who took tonsure is honored, and on Sunday the first exiles from Paradise are remembered.
It is worth noting that the Church does not consider the ancient Maslenitsa as its holiday, it only timed its own events for the days of traditional folk festivals and gave them the right to exist in a new meaning. The Christian calendar has Cheesefare Week, but there is no mention of Maslenitsa. The main goal of a church holiday, unlike a folk one, is to prepare the soul and body for Great Lent.
Shrovetide traditions
In the modern world, everything is mixed up, but people continue to love the cheerful folk holiday - Maslenitsa and celebrate it cheerfully, drawing customs from the ancient pre-Christian culture.
First day holiday week is called "Meeting", earlier on Monday they walked around the village with a scarecrow and built slides for skiing. Now they are limited to baking pancakes and treating them to the poor.
On the second day, called "Zagrysh", people go to visit, and those who come are treated to pancakes. Also on Tuesday it is customary to have fun, ride the slides and play outdoor games on the street.
Wednesday called "Gourmet". The main tradition of the third day is serving sons-in-law with pancakes. Mother-in-laws must heartily feed the husbands of their daughters, and in order to cheer them up during the meal, other relatives are also invited to the house.
Thursday widely known for fisticuffs and horse racing. In the old days, these fights were far from harmless, but now they are more playful and playful.
On Friday mother-in-laws are going to visit their sons-in-law for "Teschin's Evenings". On this day, mothers eat pancakes in the house of their daughters and praise their sons-in-law.
Saturday- a special day called "Zolovkina gatherings", young wives invited the older sisters of their spouses to visit them, gave them gifts and treated them to pancakes.
Sunday- the most important day of Maslenitsa, known as "Forgiveness Sunday". On this day, all believers and those who simply honor national holidays ask each other for forgiveness, receiving in response the traditional phrase: "God will forgive."
Here is such a variety, but everyone's favorite holiday is Maslenitsa! And there is hardly a person who considers it superfluous and unnecessary.
Since ancient times, winter has been a real test for a person: it gets dark early, it's cold, and sometimes hungry.
Therefore, among the ancient Slavs, the arrival of spring is a very joyful event, which should certainly be celebrated noisily in order to quickly overcome the insidious Winter.
For this, fun mass festivities were organized.
There are several versions of the origin of this name of the holiday. The following is considered the most popular: during the week of festivities, people tried to appease, that is, appease spring. Hence the name - "Maslenitsa".
According to another version, the Maslenitsa holiday got its name after the arrival of Christianity. 8 weeks before Easter, it is forbidden to eat meat, but it is allowed to eat dairy products. Therefore, the Slavs baked pancakes, pouring them with plenty of oil.
They did not dare to cancel the pagan holiday, it was of great importance for ordinary residents. Christian leaders decided to "attach" it to Easter. In the Christian interpretation, the Maslenitsa week is a week of reconciliation, forgiveness and preparation for Great Lent.
Shrovetide traditions
At first, ordinary round cakes were baked from wheat flour and water, and only in the 19th century they were replaced with lacy pancakes. Round yellow pancakes represent the sun. Therefore, to eat a pancake means to swallow a piece of the sun, its tenderness, generosity and warmth.
Baking such "suns" was also considered a kind of ritual to attract the sun. It is believed that the more pancakes you cook and eat, the sooner spring will come.
In addition to making pancakes, there are other rituals of sun worship. For example, the inhabitants performed a variety of ritual actions that are based on the magic of the circle. Young people on horse-drawn sleighs circled the village several times, driving away evil spirits.
Another indispensable attribute of the Maslenitsa holiday was the bear. What is the connection between them? It turns out that the bear is a symbol of spring. Therefore, one man was dressed up in a bearskin and during the mass festivities he danced along with his fellow villagers.
Each day of celebration had its own rituals:
Monday- meeting. They began to make a stuffed Maslenitsa, dressed him in women's clothes and drove him around the village on a sleigh. Then the scarecrow was placed on a snowy hill, where sledding began.
Tuesday- win. Various entertainments began: folk festivals, sleigh rides and performances. On the streets you can meet large groups of mummers, who, in cheerful masks, traveled from house to house and arranged impromptu concerts.
Wednesday- gourmet. In each house, tables were laid with delicious dishes, pancakes were baked and beer was brewed. Theaters appeared in the village and trade tents were set up where they sold roasted nuts, sbitni and gingerbread.
Thursday- revelry. This is the middle of games and fun. It is believed that Maslenitsa fistfights could be arranged on this day.
Friday- mother-in-law evening. The mother-in-law baked her signature pancakes and arranged a real feast for her beloved son-in-law. Sometimes "mother-in-law pancakes" were held on Wednesday. Then on Friday it was the son-in-law's turn to invite his mother-in-law to pancakes.
Saturday- sister-in-law gatherings: daughters-in-law hosted relatives and treated everyone to delicious pancakes.
Sunday- kisser, forgiveness day, seeing off. On the last day of the week, friends and relatives asked for forgiveness for accidental and intentional upsets and insults.
Maslenitsa- a pagan holiday, the traditions of which are observed today. After all, the arrival of spring marks the birth of a new life, new hopes and dreams, which is very important for absolutely everyone.
