In the first three days, which are called “narrow” Maslenitsa, it was possible to do household chores, and from Thursday comes the “wide” Maslenitsa, when all work stopped. The most important days were considered Monday - the day of Maslenitsa, Thursday, when the festivities were in full force, and Forgiveness Sunday, when it was customary to ask each other for forgiveness for the grievances caused.
The symbol and integral attribute of Maslenitsa festivities are pancakes, which symbolize the warmth of the sun and the imminent arrival of spring. Pancakes should be served to as many people as possible, because, according to legend, generosity during Maslenitsa week brings happiness and increases the wealth and well-being of the family.
Another tradition of Maslenitsa is the burning of effigy. In the old days, it was made on the first day of Maslenitsa week from straw and old clothes, on Forgiveness Sunday they were taken through the streets, and in the evening they were burned. It was believed that this tradition also symbolizes the imminent onset of warm weather and getting rid of negative emotions on the eve of Lent.
In the days before Lent, the Synodal Department for Charity and Social Service, together with the Orthodox aid service “Mercy,” is organizing a free distribution of Maslenitsa pancakes from March 4 to 10 at the Salvation Hangar in Moscow. The main celebration will take place on Thursday, March 7th.
History of the holiday. When is Maslenitsa in 2021
Maslenitsa was celebrated in ancient Rus'. Paganism reigned at that time, but the festivals even then meant the transition from winter to spring. The date of the event was fixed and was set on the day of the spring equinox. The festivities lasted for a week. Nature, land, and continuation of the family were glorified. In Rus', on this day they thanked the gods for a bountiful harvest. Now this tradition has been lost, but during the week of Maslenitsa they honored dead relatives.
Important! Maslenitsa is a pagan holiday. They praised the sun god and the god of cattle. Dozens of traditions, signs, and rituals were associated with the holiday week.
Now the festival has changed. It does not carry a sacred load. With the advent of Christianity, Maslenitsa week serves as the last stage before Lent. The date is floating and depends on Easter. In 2021, Maslenitsa will begin on March 8 and end on March 14.
The church consecrated the pagan holiday. Maslenitsa week was the last stage before Lent. People must forgive loved ones for insults, repent of sins, and reconcile with relatives. If during pagan times it was forbidden to eat meat during Maslenitsa week, now it is one of the most nourishing weeks of the year. The people called the holiday:
- overdrinking;
- killer whale;
- a hawk;
- overeating.
Ancestors also forbade marriage from the beginning of Maslenitsa until Easter. On Saturday, dinners were held in memory of the deceased, and on Sunday people went to visit and celebrated the arrival of spring. Maslenitsa served as a symbol of the unification of families, a time of reconciliation and forgiveness of grievances. It was also customary to thank loved ones.
How to determine the date
As a rule, Maslenitsa week is celebrated in February or March. The determination of the date depends on the period of Lent and the subsequent Easter. Easter is celebrated exactly 8 weeks after Maslenitsa week. The definition of Easter according to the Orthodox calendar takes into account several factors:
- lunisolar calendar;
- position of the luminaries;
- choice of Sunday after analyzing antecedent factors.
After determining the date of Easter, you can subtract 40 days from this number, then you get the date of Maslenitsa.
Information! In 2020, the holiday falls on February 24 and lasts until March 1.
Traditions and customs
Maslenitsa week traditionally began on the first day of the week and ended on Sunday. The motley week wasn't chaotic. Every day was accompanied by events, actions, and carried a certain symbol. Rituals and traditions were assigned to each day of the week:
- Monday. The hostess baked the first funeral pancake, which was given to the needy and poor. This is how the commemoration of deceased loved ones began. On this day it was allowed to complete preparations for the festivities.
- Tuesday. Day of matchmaking and viewing. The young people were introduced in advance to get married after Easter.
- Wednesday. The wife's mother bakes pancakes and treats her son-in-law to them. The day was called “overeating”, “gourmet”.
- Thursday. Revelry day. Folk festivities began. Young people jumped over the fire, rode down the slide, sang songs and danced. Fist fights and games involving defending a snow fortress were held.
- Friday. The daughter's mother came to her son-in-law's house and tried his pancakes. The mother-in-law should come with her friends to show off her daughter’s husband.
- Saturday. Daughters-in-law invited their husband's relatives and sisters-in-law. Single and married friends were invited to a home tea party.
- Sunday. The Great Week ended with the burning of the effigy. This tradition with pagan roots has survived to this day. Now it is perceived as part of the entertainment, but previously the ashes of the scarecrow were scattered over the fields so that subsequent years would be fruitful.
Pancakes are a traditional Maslenitsa dish. They symbolized the sun, giving warmth. There was no home in Rus' where pancakes were not baked in stacks and filled with fillings. The funeral pancake was given to the poor for the repose of the deceased. Most of the traditions of Maslenitsa have been preserved, although they are now only of an entertaining nature.
What do we get as a result?
Any “Maslenitsa” can have two effects, any of which is categorically beneficial to you.
1. He gets what he wanted, and realizes that this is not what he wanted.
Bored, sad, changed his mind. And he begins to desperately catch up with you. This is what the majority achieves. True, there is a side effect: it may turn out that you don’t want it back!
2. He thinks: “Well, I’ve finally gotten rid of it!”
Many consider this a failure, while this is a definite gain, because such a patient will inevitably leave you - he does not love you. And it’s better to find someone better sooner than in 5-7 years.
Ritual of burning an effigy
Burning a straw doll is the final stage of Maslenitsa. Held on the last day. Contrary to belief, the scarecrow did not symbolize winter. The straw doll burned, burning away all troubles and troubles. In Rus', people believed that the doll should burn to the ground. The ashes were collected and scattered over the fields. They did this on the same day, asking the gods for a bountiful harvest. Now all that remains of the multi-stage tradition is the burning of a straw doll.
A modern doll is made from sticks, rope, old newspapers, straw, scarves, and buttons. Often they draw a face, which was prohibited according to ancient traditions. The design was a cross made of two wooden sticks.
Important! In pagan times, the doll was not supposed to have a face. Often the stuffed animal was made only from straw.
The ritual of burning an effigy has been preserved along with the preparation of traditional pancakes, folk festivals, songs and dances. The main themes of Maslenitsa in Rus' were the harvest, honoring the dead and fertility. With the advent of Christianity, the meaning of the holiday changed; it took a week to prepare the soul and body for fasting.
The meaning of Maslenitsa by day
The entire holiday was divided into seven days. On the first day of the week, the final preparations for the festivities were completed. The women baked the first pancake and gave it to the poor to remember the dead. The first pancake was always considered a funeral. With the advent of Christianity, a new tradition appeared in some areas. Housewives prepared dumplings and treated their guests to them.
Important! Some historians argue that in Rus' pancakes were a funeral food, and did not symbolize the sun, as most researchers believe.
Viewings were held on Tuesday. During the entire Maslenitsa week and fasting, it was forbidden to get married. Therefore, they made arrangements in advance to hold the wedding after Easter on Krasnaya Gorka. The youth were introduced to each other and then sent to the city squares, where they rode down the slides, had snow fun, and went sledding.
Interesting! In Rus' they believed that if they didn’t come to marry a young girl on Tuesday, then she wouldn’t get married the whole year.
On Wednesday, the hostesses spent the whole day preparing stacks of pancakes for guests. In villages and villages competitions were held for the most delicious pancake. The day is also called “mother-in-law pancakes.” The daughter’s husband came to visit his wife’s mother, and she treated him. So the mother-in-law blessed her son-in-law and forgave him all his insults.
On Thursday, mass festivities began. The noisiest day of the entire Maslenitsa week. Adults and children took to the streets to celebrate the coming of spring. There were fist fights and people sledding down ice slides. Burning wooden wheels were driven down the snow from the mountain. The most popular fun was defending the snow fortress. Both young people and adults took part. In the evening, housewives baked birds from dough without filling, brushing the surface with egg yolk.
On Friday, the mother-in-law came to her son-in-law for pancakes. She came not alone, but with her friends to show off her son-in-law. The daughter’s husband treated his wife’s mother to pancakes and forgave her all the insults. On Friday it was customary to dress up and go to visit people and sing songs.
On the penultimate day, the sister-in-law, as well as the wife’s married and single friends, were invited to the house. Girls' get-togethers ended with fortune-telling and joint handicrafts. In Rus', men left home and gathered together, continuing to celebrate at a generously laid table.
Farewell Sunday is the end of the holiday. On the last day, they forgave everyone’s offenses and asked for forgiveness from family and friends. They burned the effigy and the remains of the holiday food. They washed away their sins in the baths, bowed and kissed relatives. The day was also called “kissing day”.
Important! During pagan times, people came to the cemetery on Sundays to commemorate the dead. Only pancakes without filling were served as a treat.
Personal story of Mila Levchuk:
“One day my husband was wooing me. This was at a time when I had already saved the family, and he still didn’t know about it. It was a bitter winter outside, I was sitting in Omsk, he was at home in St. Petersburg and tempted me to return to him. And I turned on “Maslenitsa” - and nothing. Sent flowers - it didn’t work. Come, he says, and I’ll do something for you. Sly. Naturally, I give him a hard time - and no fees for you. And then one day I leave the house, and in front of the entrance porch there is written on the asphalt: “Beloved wife, come back.” My heart, of course, jumped and sank. I took a photo, moved on, and lo and behold, it was written again opposite my window. And again at the nearest stop. I melted, of course, because I hired someone, found out the usual route and convinced me. This was my Maslenitsa success.
Of course, he still had to buy tickets for me, prepare a gala reception, all the other things, but my God, if only you girls knew how long I fought through these doors with exhortations, persuasion, arguments. I tried to convince him that I was the best match for him, to logically prove that this was fate, and we went through so much, and our meeting was so incredible. And she talked about family scenarios, and about “there are no more people like me.” Everything was in vain, I met only resistance. But as soon as I waved my tail and said: “Okay, apparently it wasn’t fate, I fluttered,” the wind changed dramatically. And you ask how to include Maslenitsa in the family. Yes, just like that: hands to feet - and one-two, one-two.”
Source
Do's and Don'ts
The boundaries between prohibitions are very blurred. Of all the past prohibitions, the simplest ones remain: you can’t do needlework, you can’t pick up a needle on Thursday and Sunday. Previously, prohibitions also applied to the diet. It was forbidden to eat meat. With the advent of Christianity, Maslenitsa week became one of the most satisfying of the year.
Interesting! The ban was associated with the fact that by the end of spring, meat supplies were depleted, and dairy products replaced protein foods.
The purpose of Maslenitsa week is to prepare the body and soul for Lent and to get the right mood. Prohibited:
- to become despondent, sad;
- drinking alcohol;
- get angry, use foul language;
- receiving guests in an uncleaned house.
The last ban applied to everyone. If a relative was seriously ill, then sisters, sisters-in-law or friends would come to her and help clean the house and bake pancakes. During Maslenitsa it is forbidden to use foul language, say offensive words, get into quarrels and judge other people.
Festival Moscow Maslenitsa 2020
By analogy with the New Year and May festivals, mass events will take place in the center of Moscow on the occasion of Maslenitsa. In total, you will be able to visit 30 sites on central streets and parks. Event times at all venues are from February 17 to 26 from 14:00 to 21:00 . Participation is free. At each site you can take part in an interactive thematic performance, learn useful skills at one of the master classes and pick up a new hobby, enjoy pancakes using unique recipes and ride on wooden carousels. Each site will prepare its own effigy, which will be ceremonially burned at the end of Maslenitsa week.
List of venues where Maslenitsa events will take place:
- in the Hermitage garden
- in Fili Park
- in Lianozovsky Park
- in Vorontsovsky Park
- in the park named after Artem Borovkin
- in Victory Park
- on Novy Arbat
- on Tverskaya Square
- on Tverskoy Boulevard
- on Manezhnaya Square
- on Revolution Square
- in Izmailovsky Park
- in Sadovniki Park
- in Tagansky Park
- in Northern Tushino Park
- in Kuzminki Park
- in Perovsky Park
- in Babushkinsky Park
- in Sokolniki
- in Krasnaya Presnya Park
- in Goncharovsky Park
On the official website of the festival you can read more about what will take place at each of the venues.
Signs for Maslenitsa
Frosty and sunny weather on Maslenitsa foretells a warm summer. If there is no snow outside during Maslenitsa week, then the harvest next year will be meager. It was also believed that those who did not have fun at Maslenitsa would be sad and yearning all next year. Other signs:
- if the pancakes are thin, then life will be easy;
- if the first pancake came out lumpy, then difficulties cannot be avoided in the coming year;
- if the mother-in-law does not treat her son-in-law to pancakes on Wednesday, then the family will lose peace and prosperity;
- If you bake a lot of pancakes, then there will be prosperity in the house.
On Sunday evening, housewives burned the remains of holiday food. It was believed that if you leave dishes in the house overnight, the next year will be poor and unlucky. People tried to keep light and joy in their souls so that well-being would last for a long time.
Maslenitsa week is full of traditions, rituals and signs. Few have survived to this day. Now the holiday is more of an entertaining nature, it is the last stage before Lent. Folk festivals are still held, housewives bake stacks of pancakes, and on Sunday they burn a colorful effigy.
The symbol of Maslenitsa is pancakes
It is believed that modern pancakes are the “ancestors” of oatmeal jelly, which someone decided to bake over a fire. A little later, people began to bake pancakes not only from oatmeal, but also from rye, wheat, and buckwheat. Traditional cuisine knows many recipes for pancakes with various fillings.
Housewives prepared pancakes with fish, mushrooms, eggs, honey, buckwheat, onion sauce, and cottage cheese. The pancakes were served with sour cream, red or black caviar and butter. It is noteworthy that the pancakes had to be eaten only with their hands. It was believed that if they were pierced with a fork or cut with a knife, then trouble would not be long in coming.
