Bookmarked: 0
Maslenitsa and its significance in Russia
Make way, the people - Maslenitsa is coming to us! They burn the effigy of winter and welcome the red spring! Maslenitsa is a joyful meeting of spring, praise to the Sun, a week-long celebration with pancakes and the unity of all the people. Maslenitsa 2020 will begin on February 24 and last until March 1. The time depends on the date of Easter.
How Maslenitsa was celebrated in Rus'
In Rus', Maslenitsa has been celebrated since pagan times, because it is a Slavic holiday that has its own divine meaning, where Nature itself is the main character.
Our ancestors were so close to nature that the entire way of peasant life was subject to its laws, people observed all the unshakable traditions of faith from year to year.
So Maslenitsa symbolizes light and warmth, and the symbol of Maslenitsa is “Kolovrat”.
"Kolo" - this sun and its constant movement were associated with the cyclical nature of human life, this is the spring equinox. For many peoples, this is the beginning of the New Year.
Three important meanings embedded in Maslenitsa
The first important meaning of Maslenitsa
The turning point of the transition from winter to spring, and this is always the birth of everything new, because sunlight and warmth give life to all life on earth. And in Rus', the sun used to be revered as a god, so pancakes are a symbol of Maslenitsa.
So we celebrate Maslenitsa cheerfully, gorging ourselves on pancakes, enjoying the sun and spring. Maslenitsa used to be affectionately called obezudha, tselovalnitsa, pancake eater.
The second important meaning of Maslenitsa
The cult of the land-nurse, which since ancient times played a vital role in the lives of peasants. The future harvest, and therefore the well-fed and happy life of people, depended on the fertility of the land.
Yarilo - the god of fertility and vital energy among the Slavs, he gave everyone hope, supported the strength of spirit, warmed the souls of people with warmth, and most importantly, gave strength to the earth. That is why, as a sacrifice for a rich harvest, a large straw effigy was burned, and the ashes were scattered across the fields so that it would feed and be filled with juices.
The third interesting feature of Maslenitsa
This is fertility in the life of the young. Continuation of the family line is the main goal of the life of peasants, because in a large, friendly family it is easier to survive and cope with difficulties. Now everything is different, but then people prepared for family life ahead of time: in the pre-Oil week, the groom chose his bride, met his parents, received their blessing in order to have a wedding after Lent.
And the meaning of Maslenitsa was to revive feelings after a long winter, awaken desires and invigorate the body, feed on solar energy and sow a spark of love.
This was done through general fun, sliding down slides, fraternization, playful joys, taking over a snowy town, horseback riding, songs and round dances.
At the same time, Lent forced young people not to sin, to cleanse themselves of everything unnecessary, to abstain in everything in order to prepare their soul and body for the sacraments of marriage.
Maslenitsa week
All 7 days the people rejoiced, and each day had its own tradition and name. Maslenitsa was divided into 2 parts: Narrow - the first 3 days of the week and Wide Maslenitsa - Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Monday – “Meeting”
Housewives baked pancakes, made a stuffed animal out of straw, and dressed it up.
Tuesday - "Flirting"
Bridal showers, slides, games, invitations to pancakes.
Wednesday – “Gourmand”
A well-known tradition is when a son-in-law comes to his mother-in-law for pancakes.
Thursday - "Range"
Wide Maslenitsa begins, fist fights, competitions, pole climbing, songs and round dances, jumping over the fire, booths and fun with the bear. All this helped to throw out bad mood and despondency.
Friday - "Mother-in-Law's Evening"
Now the son-in-law invited his mother-in-law for pancakes.
Saturday – “Sister-in-Law’s Gatherings”
They gathered in large groups around the table, had fun, laughed, and sang. The daughter-in-law was supposed to give her sister-in-law a gift.
Sunday - “Forgiveness Sunday”
This is the culmination of the entire holiday. People remembered the dead, went to the cemetery, held wakes, funeral feasts, served liturgies in churches, and read Christ’s Sermon on the Mount.
Maslenitsa is rightfully considered “Women’s Week”. The important role of women in the household was emphasized here. For all 7 days they rested from hard peasant labor; on Maslenitsa they could not work, sew, spin, just bake pancakes, woo young girls and have fun.
Forgiveness Sunday
The most important thing was to ask people for forgiveness. They said: “Forgive me” and had to answer: “God will forgive, and I forgive”
Even in pre-revolutionary Russia, the tsar himself visited the troops and asked the soldiers for forgiveness. It was a day of good donations and good deeds.
Forgiveness is cleansing from sins and everything negative; a person’s heart becomes kinder and purer, and his thoughts become brighter and more joyful.
And finally, the effigy was burned. Made from straw, rags and improvised material, the effigy was placed on a large pole, it was installed in a visible place, round dances were performed and songs were sung - this ritual was inherited from the ancestors: this is how they were immersed in a trance.
After 2 hours, the scarecrow was set on fire with the help of a torch, old things, leftover food (post ahead), and notes with wishes were thrown into the fire.
It was believed that the fire burned the hardships and misfortunes of people, all the negativity accumulated over the winter.
Today it has turned into fun and entertainment, but then saying goodbye to winter was a sacred ritual in which the whole people took part.
How Maslenitsa is celebrated in other countries
It must be said that Maslenitsa is celebrated in all Western countries. In America and Europe there is the Mardi Gras carnival (Fat Tuesday). In Spain it is a holiday of freedom and jokes.
In England - running with a hot frying pan and pancakes - you had to throw the pancake 3 times while running and catch it. In Slovenia and Croatia, there is a ritual of driving away winter, when young people in masks danced and screamed to scare away winter.
Maslenitsa is a favorite folk holiday. The traditions and customs of Maslenitsa week came to us from ancient times and remain unchanged to this day. The last week before Lent is a time of festivities and fun, nourishing days before long abstinence.
Folk traditions and customs accompany many holidays, but Maslenitsa is a special time that meant a lot to our ancestors. This is the turning point when winter meets spring. The arrival of long-awaited fine days and farewell to the annoying winter cold is one of the key traditions.
The time before Great Lent is called Meat Week or Cheese Week. This is a period when there are no meat products on the tables of Orthodox Christians, but there is an abundance of cheese products, pancakes and other tasty foods. Also, Maslenitsa week precedes a long spiritual and physical abstinence from earthly temptations, so people widely celebrated Maslenitsa and tried to walk around and eat for future use.
Folk traditions and customs on Maslenitsa
One of the most exciting and spectacular actions, perhaps, can be called the burning of an effigy of winter. The straw figure, symbolizing the passing cold, was dressed in old clothes. Burning an effigy was a reminder of imminent warming, and also provided an opportunity to get rid of negativity in homes. Unnecessary broken things and old utensils were thrown into the fire. Everywhere people lit fires, which melted the remaining snow with their warmth.
Pancakes are an attribute without which there would be no Maslenitsa. They symbolize the hot, bright Sun, urging it to quickly gain full strength. Each housewife had her own secret recipe for Maslenitsa pancakes, which was carefully kept in the family and passed down from generation to generation. They treated everyone to pancakes, knowing that generosity and friendliness give happiness in life and increase the wealth and well-being of the family. Flour products were sacredly revered in Rus', and in the pre-Christian era they were one of the ways to respect the god Perun.
Festive festivities on the street gave people the opportunity to unite and have fun, because very soon the spring suffering was coming - the time when sowing and agricultural work began. Also, during the festivities, the older generation agreed on quick weddings, the grooms looked after the brides, and the girls secretly told fortunes about their betrothed. Popular beliefs say that those who do not have fun during Maslenitsa week will live in trouble and sorrow.
Every day of Maslenitsa has its own name. People honored traditions and tried to do everything that was necessary these days. Mothers-in-law invited their sons-in-law, and they, in turn, sent return invitations. Young wives gave gifts to their sisters-in-law and tried in every possible way to show their affection to their husband's relatives. Celebrations on the street were accompanied by comic fist fights, wall-to-wall games, demonstrations of agility, sleigh rides down the mountains, as well as horse carts accompanied by funny songs and ditties. The fun of climbing a smooth pole to get prizes was also traditional. Relatives went around each house and gave each other small souvenirs and gifts.
Adults made wooden and clay whistles for children. A cheerful crowd of children ran through the streets and whistled, imitating bird trills. This tradition also refers to the call for the spring awakening of the earth. Older children walked around singing carols with funny songs, begging for tasty treats. The adults responded with low bows, gave them sweets and asked them to convey wishes of health and happiness to their parents.
The last day of the festivities is called Forgiveness Sunday. People went to visit each other and asked for forgiveness for all the offenses they intentionally or unwittingly caused. The children bowed at the feet of their parents, asking to be excused, and the parents, in turn, went to the cemetery to pay tribute to their ancestors. They also left pancakes on the graves and asked the deceased relatives for help and protection of the entire family for its prosperity.
Another interesting tradition was the newlyweds sledding. The couples visited everyone who was at their wedding and said words of gratitude for a happy marriage. It was believed that the energy of love also charges the earth with fertility, and pleases with good shoots and a rich harvest. They also organized a general kissing day, when the newlyweds were forced to kiss in front of everyone. On this day, guys could go into houses and kiss the girls they liked.
Our ancestors sacredly respected traditions. Honoring one's roots was the key to success and prosperity for families. Now Maslenitsa week still declares the inviolability of traditions. Despite its pagan roots, it organically entered our lives. We wish you a merry Maslenitsa and happiness in your personal life. May luck not leave you, and do not forget to press the buttons and
14.02.2017 04:03
Maslenitsa is the last preparatory week before Lent. This holiday has pagan roots...
Maslenitsa is a holiday that came to us even before Christianity, which means it is a pagan holiday. But despite this fact? People in our country love Maslenitsa, celebrate it, and don’t want to say goodbye to this holiday. No one remembers exactly when he came to us, or rather, there is no one to ask. Well, in Rus' they have always loved and love to go for a walk, and if there is a reason, it will be the same in this case! It is noteworthy that Maslenitsa is celebrated for a week, that is, from Monday to Sunday. It always starts on Monday, there is no exception. But the climax comes on Sunday, when a straw effigy is burned.
What does Maslenitsa represent?
The question is very difficult, since there is no clear confirmation that Maslenitsa is a farewell to winter. It's all about the floating date of this holiday, when it can be celebrated both in March, that is, already in the calendar spring, and in February, still in winter. So, the February frosts may not yet subside, but the holiday is already being celebrated. Therefore, it is not necessary to talk about the unequivocal fact that Maslenitsa is a farewell to winter, although I really want to...
It is with the farewell to winter that this holiday represents the majority.
When is Maslenitsa celebrated (celebrated) in 2020, 2021...
Every year the date of Maslenitsa celebration changes. Take a look at the table, find the year and find out when it will be celebrated.
As you can see, it’s not difficult, but now you probably know when to go to the celebration! For those who want to understand where all this comes from, we will say that everything depends on the cycles of the moon. Since the holiday is tied to the date of Easter, which depends on the phases of the moon, Maslenitsa itself depends on it. Maslenitsa week begins before Great Lent, and Lent itself begins before Easter. This is how it works somehow!
How Maslenitsa is usually celebrated
This holiday has its own signs and characteristics, which, although not particularly observed, exist. So Maslenitsa was called Meat Week, when you can’t eat meat. This is one of the features of the celebration. But the second name, Cheese Week, is closer to the truth. That is, for seven days you can eat cheese and dairy products, including butter, in honor of which the holiday has the most popular name among the people.
So, on Maslenitsa you need to bake pancakes, eat it yourself, go to a party for pancakes, dip them in butter and eat them. In fact, you really need to eat, because this holiday is before Lent, which means this is the last opportunity to eat. Although to say that you need to overeat on a pagan holiday in order to gloriously celebrate a Christian one is again somehow not entirely correct.
Well, if we put aside all the religious components, then modern Maslenitsa is, first of all, folk festivities and singing, which is often supported by our municipal authorities. So in many cities on Maslenitsa they organize performances where artists perform folk art activities, organize competitions like climbing a pole, walking along a log to a ram, and the like. Walking on this holiday is not prohibited, but on the contrary, it is encouraged. At least, this is the picture that emerges from the many years of experience in the policies of our authorities and the attitude of the people towards this holiday.
As we have already briefly mentioned, the apotheosis of the holiday falls on Sunday. Why? There are several reasons. This is the last day, which means you’ll hurt your forehead, but take a walk on the holiday. Sunday is a day off and that means you can really find time to take part in the celebration. All events organized by municipal authorities for Maslenitsa are held on Sunday. And lastly, the most important thing that everyone loves so much is burning an effigy. This image of a burning haystack is familiar to many from childhood, since the holiday was actively celebrated in the USSR, because it seems to be not Christian, which means you can spend the winter without tying this event to religion. Yes, the effigy burns nicely and beautifully, the main thing here is up to the organizers of the event. We hope they won’t waste the budget on this sacred thing, and the scarecrow in your city, town, village will burn as it should and is incendiary and attractive...
Accepted days of the week for Maslenitsa with their names and celebration traditions
Monday is called “Maslenitsa Meeting”. Already on this day they begin to bake pancakes, eat, treat and distribute. We distributed pancakes to those in need. They also made and placed an effigy that was burned on Sunday, the last day of Maslenitsa.
Tuesday was popularly called “Zigrysh”. This day was completely dedicated to the newlyweds, if there were any. On this day, folk festivities were held: sledding, carousel rides and slides.
Wednesday "Gourmand". On this day they ate and ate too much. We went to pancakes and invited. It was thanks to this day that the popular expression “go to your mother-in-law for pancakes” appeared among the people. However, the mother-in-law was also waiting for Friday, when it was her turn to come for pancakes.
People called Thursday “Razgulyay”. Walking, skating, all kinds of entertainment events, all this is described by the word walk, and also characterizes this day during Maslenitsa week.
Friday “Mother-in-law’s evening”, it was on this day that it was the mother-in-law’s turn to go visit. However, polite relatives invited the mother-in-law the day before on Thursday.
Saturday is popularly called “Sister-in-Law’s Gatherings.” Young daughters-in-law invited their husband's sisters to their place, had conversations with them, treated them to various delicacies and gave gifts. If the sister-in-law had not yet gotten married, then the daughter-in-law invited her unmarried friends, and if the husband’s sister was married, then only married relatives were invited.
Sunday. Last day of celebration. But as we know, one holiday cannot do without another, because the last day of Maslenitsa is nothing more than “Forgiveness Sunday”.
Do Catholics (Catholic Church) celebrate Maslenitsa?
Like Russian Maslenitsa, such holidays exist in almost all Catholic countries. Perhaps their name and chronology are different, but the meaning is approximately the same. Like us, “Catholic Maslenitsa” is celebrated before Lent, on the eve of the so-called Ash Wednesday (Shrove Tuesday). Catholics call this holiday Carnival. By the way, if you translate the word “carnival,” it literally means “goodbye meat.” That is, the carnival is just preparation for Lent.
In countries where the French language predominates, this holiday is called Mardi Gras, in English-speaking countries it is “Pancake Day”, in the USA it is “Fat Tuesday”. Like us, during the days of Catholic Maslenitsa, all kinds of entertainment events take place, such as games and festivities. processions. The most famous Maslenitsa event in Europe is the Venice Carnival, which takes place before Lent and lasts 10 days. In London, on the last day of local Maslenitsa, pancake races take place. Many have heard about these. Anyone can take part in them. In the races you need to run the distance as quickly as possible, while tossing a pancake in a frying pan. The winner is determined from those who finally ran with their pancake, and as quickly as possible.
These days you can and should eat a lot of fatty foods, that is, fill up before Lent. The number of days of the Maslenitsa Catholic carnival varies in different countries: in Norway there are only 2 days, in Argentina - 2 months, including Lent, but usually about 5-7 days. The holiday is also actively celebrated in Great Britain, Canada, Ireland, Australia...
If we talk about the main dishes of the holiday, then in Greece - cheese bread, in Poland - donuts with fillings.
Summarizing when and how Maslenitsa is celebrated
Here, even without our conclusions, it is clear that the date of Maslenitsa is floating, and it depends entirely on Easter. To help you better navigate, take a look at the table with the chronology of religious holidays that are associated with Easter.
Chronology of holidays associated with Easter (Resurrection of Christ)
That is, we can say that Maslenitsa is celebrated 49 days before Easter. But the history of the holiday is very rich, having absorbed Slavic mythology, the politics of municipal authorities and a certain vision of the holiday by the average person.
To put it briefly. This is a holiday, first of all, for the people, when they are tired of winter, want some space for business and thought, a change in the weather to warm, but the authorities do not oppose this. That is why, to this day, the Maslenitsa holiday in Russia is very popular and in demand. After all, this is a great opportunity to spend a holiday outside with your family, under the growing sun, eat pancakes with sweets, burn an effigy, feel the breath of spring around and everywhere.
Everyone associates Maslenitsa week with delicious homemade pancakes, farewell to winter and cheerful folk festivities. The Maslenitsa holiday has a long history and traditions. Maslenitsa has its roots back in pagan times, when the Slavs worshiped the sun god - Yaril. At the end of winter, the sun began to warm the earth more strongly, and in gratitude for this, the people baked unleavened cakes to their god. They symbolized the sun. But the influence of the Orthodox Church over time somewhat changed the essence of the holiday. Today, Maslenitsa week is a preparatory week for Lent, which ends only with the onset of Lent.
Traditions and rituals of Maslenitsa
Of course, the main tradition of Maslenitsa week is. It was believed that with every pancake eaten at this time, a person receives a piece of warmth and light from the sun. Therefore, according to legend, the happiest person should have been the one who ate the most pancakes.
In addition, not a single Maslenitsa is complete without folk festivities, and folk traditions assigned each of the seven days of celebration a specific name and specific rules of conduct:
Today, the traditions of celebrating Maslenitsa come down to eating pancakes throughout the week, folk festivals and visiting the cemetery on Forgiveness Sunday. On Sunday, most people also ask for forgiveness from family and friends, and in the evening, as in the old days, an effigy of winter is burned in the square, which means the imminent arrival of spring.
The oldest Slavic holiday Maslenitsa has survived to this day in a distorted form with a predominance of its entertainment part, with round dances, bonfires, pancakes and indispensable invitations to visit. Even the Orthodox Church now considers Maslenitsa not a pagan holiday, but its own, Orthodox, and views it as preparation for the long Lent. This happened with many holidays, but Maslenitsa is the most striking example. It is known that until the 17th century, they tried to ban this old, truly folk holiday of spring and the birth of life and persecuted those who celebrated it openly. It is clear that nothing came of this idea to eradicate “demonic fun,” and the people defended their right to have fun in the last days of winter. Since the 18th century, the church stopped paying such close attention to the holiday, and the demonstrative festivities of the tsars only strengthened Maslenitsa in the life of the Russian people, although they distorted the essence of what was happening. Since the second half of the 18th century, the church “adapted” Maslenitsa for its own purposes and did not prohibit parishioners from participating in the general bacchanalia, while imposing certain restrictions on the composition of foods suitable for food on these days and strict “regulations” of prayers. Each of the seven (and until the 17th century fourteen) days of Maslenitsa had its own name.
By the beginning of the 20th century, all the names were mixed up - ancient, church, folk, and now Maslenitsa is a holiday of welcoming spring, cheerful, carefree, with abundant food and, most importantly, pancakes. became the central dish, its symbol. As in ancient times, pancakes in the human mind symbolize the sun. Only in distant pre-Christian times did our ancestors pray to the sun god Yarila and prepare pancakes in gratitude to Yarila for light and warmth.
The name Maslenitsa comes from the celebration of spring, that is, March 1 (March 21-23 to 15-16), the beginning of the new year. At this time, the cows were calving and they had a lot of milk, which means there was enough butter in the house. The word oil originally sounded like smeared, that is, what they smear on a pancake. Mazalo or oil in this case was a symbol of prosperity, a new rich and well-fed year. Pancakes on Maslenitsa were also an earthly reflection of the sun. Damn - like a small sun - round and hot. To grease a pancake with butter means to offer a gift to the sun, to appease it. Just as today, in the first half of January, Russia indulges in the holiday, so in ancient times our ancestors celebrated the New Year on a grand scale, only at the beginning of spring. Hence the burning of effigies of winter, round dances, bonfires and other echoes of the pagan past. There is a version that the Maslenitsa holiday in ancient times was in honor of the god Veles, the patron saint of cattle breeding.
Evidence of the “royal” celebration of Maslenitsa has been preserved. For example, in 1724, Peter the Great decided to organize a grand celebration, but frosts prevented a huge masquerade, sleigh procession and other fun. The strong Russian frost did not allow us to celebrate Maslenitsa, once again confirming that changing the timing of Maslenitsa week is not the best idea for the holiday. The fact is that Maslenitsa week was supposed to take place on the days of the spring solstice, which fell at the height of Lent. At the insistence of the church, the celebration was moved back a month, and now the last day of Maslenitsa was supposed to be a week before the start of Lent. But there were also successful celebrations. According to the memoirs of the Austrian secretary Korb, who found himself in Russia during Maslenitsa week, “all respect for the highest authorities disappears, the most harmful self-will reigns everywhere.” The same Korb witnessed an incident when the newly built Lefortovo Palace was illuminated by a costumed pseudo-patriarch at the head of the “most jocular and most drunken cathedral” with a cross made of tobacco pipes, a censer with tobacco smoke, and to top it all off, he served a service in honor of Bacchus. During the Maslenitsa holiday in the palace, the king himself was the ringleader and the first merry fellow. A two-day feast began in the “sanctified” palace, while the guests were forbidden to sleep or leave, and only for foreign guests they made an exception and set aside several hours for sleep, after which they were woken up and dragged back to the feast. In 1722, Peter the Great organized a grand procession in Moscow, placing boats and yachts on sleighs, and this procession marched through Moscow in front of the amazed public. The same pranksters were sitting in the boats: “Patriarch”, “Bacchus”, there was also a costumed Neptune, sitting in a sleigh in the form of a huge shell. The procession was completed by a large ship on which the king was traveling. The ship sailed into the wind with its sails spread and constantly firing from cannons mounted on the deck. The entire structure was pulled by 15 horses. Another case was when Catherine the Second organized a festive carnival, poorly understanding the traditions of the people of the country she ruled. The Triumphant Minerva masquerade consisted of a carnival procession traveling around the capital, playing out and ridiculing human vices: embezzlement, bribery, red tape of officials and others. The capital's traditions of festivities were adopted by the provinces, and throughout Russia at that time Maslenitsa was celebrated widely and powerfully. For rulers, the holiday was an occasion to appease the people and show them their closeness. Ancient traditions were not respected, and the celebration was an average Europeanized carnival with kitsch elements and pancakes as an understandable and accessible symbol. However, some elements of the holiday “in the European style” only strengthened and enriched Maslenitsa, diversifying its festive, cheerful part.
Back in the 18th century, it was customary to prepare a variety of treats for Maslenitsa - it was an open-air feast, in every home. Everyone went to visit each other, feasted on treats and had fun from the heart. On the streets they sold a wide variety of food: sbiten, bagels, honey gingerbread, pies and pancakes with a wide variety of fillings. There were also salty foods: all kinds of pickles, mushrooms, dried fish, caviar, fragrant bread and pies with various fillings. Entertainment included buffoons, booths and ice slides. The latter was so popular that in St. Petersburg they organized paid roller coasters, which cost 1 kopeck to ride. In villages and hamlets they poured their own slides, but on already “ready” hills and ravines, they built snow forts and organized tournaments.
The people have an established custom of visiting and celebrating Maslenitsa. Each day of the holiday week has its own purpose. On Monday - Maslenitsa meeting. On this day the first pancakes were baked, and the very first was intended for the ancestors. He was taken out onto the porch with a special spell and left overnight. On the same day, the effigy of Maslenitsa was dressed up and carried through the streets singing.
On Tuesday - flirting. On this day it was customary to tell fortunes. A proverb appeared about the custom of this day: “Choose your husband by pancakes, and your wife by pies.” What kind of pancakes a man prefers is his character. Real tough men love pancakes with caviar - they will provide for their wife and keep the household strong. But you shouldn’t expect affection from such a guy. If the betrothed prefers pancakes with red fish, then his disposition is affectionate, he is more of a dreamer, an artist. Such a person will speak tenderly, but the farm may fall into disrepair. Good men love pancakes with cottage cheese. With sour cream - a person without a strong character who is easy to convince. Pancakes with butter are eaten by gentle men - he will love and kiss, but he is not very fond of household chores. Those who like to have a lot of children eat with sugar, and their wife will look after them. The most unpleasant candidates for husbands are those who eat pancakes with boiled eggs. They are boring at home and on holidays, they carry out household and marital duties, but somehow out of duty. Pancakes with jam are loved by handsome guys, the first in the village, in full view of everyone. It’s flattering to be such a wife, but the hubby can go on a spree.
Wednesday was called a gourmet. Rich tables were set in all decent houses. Tents were set up on the streets with hot sbitny (a non-alcoholic drink made from hot water, honey and spices), gingerbread, pies, nuts and other street treats. On this day it was customary to invite sons-in-law to visit. According to the rules, there should be all types of pancakes on the table - salty, sweet, small and large, with fish, caviar, cottage cheese and other delicacies. Here you can look at your son-in-law (is he strong, can he feed his wife), and feed him before the fist fights on Thursday. At the table they had conversations, sang songs and had fun in a narrow family circle.
On Thursday - go wild. Fist fights, wall to wall and other “manly fun”. By this day, snow fortresses were built, which were noisily conquered by rivals. In the Christian calendar, the same day falls on Candlemas (that is, the meeting). This holiday is in honor of the Most Holy Mary bringing the baby Jesus Christ to church and meeting Elder Simeon along the way. In ancient pagan traditions, this day was the meeting of the new year. They baked doves and larks from dough, and the children “clicked for the sun” so that it would “appear from behind the mountain.”
On Friday, the sons-in-law invited their mothers-in-law to taste the treats. The strangeness of the custom (first the son-in-law on Wednesday, and then the mother-in-law on Friday) was enhanced by the fact that the mother-in-law had to bring all the ingredients for the treat the day before. And even a frying pan, a tub and a ladle for making pancakes.
On Saturday - sister-in-law's get-togethers. Unmarried sisters-in-law invited unmarried friends to visit. The daughter-in-law had to give them gifts, and they treated and amused the guests.
Sunday is the last day of Maslenitsa, Forgiveness Sunday, farewell to winter and the burning of the effigy of Winter. Before burning, the effigy is taken around the city, and then installed in the square and dances are held, while they scold Winter in every possible way, drive her away and, in the end, burn the effigy. The fun ends with jumping over a huge fire. And this Sunday is called Forgiven Sunday because everyone asks their ancestors for forgiveness. They are called bonfires and are invited to a hearty meal. This appeasement of the spirits of the dead has become a little distorted in the Christian era, with people asking for forgiveness from God and each other. It is customary to say: “Forgive me,” receiving the answer: “God will forgive,” after which everyone goes to the bathhouse, which can be considered a rite of purification before the long spring, and among Christians, before Lent.
Pancakes are the most popular dish during Maslenitsa week. This simple dish is prepared with special skill. What is important here is the skill and precision of the hand, a trained eye, culinary flair and endurance. This is why pancakes are such a simple and at the same time complex dish. Word Crap Common Slavic. In the Ukrainian language there is Mlinec, in Bulgarian - Mlyn. Mlyn- this is a millstone in windmills, a round stone that, by rubbing against another equally flat, but lying motionless, abraded grains of cereals, turning them into flour. Damn it These are words from the terminology of the mill craft, which was one of the central crafts among the Slavs. In French they call a mill moulin, in German - Muhle, in Italian - mulino, and in English - mill, that is, also similar to Mlyn.
Interesting origin of the expression the first damn thing is lumpy- in modern language this is unambiguous - lumpy, failure, the first pancake turned out to be lumpy. But before that didn't mean How, A to whom damn, that is comas- dead ancestors. This first pancake was an offering to the comas. It turns out that the old spelling coincides with the new meaning - the living Russian language is constantly changing.
It must be said that the custom of eating pancakes on Maslenitsa appeared quite late. Of course, they have been eaten during Maslenitsa celebrations since ancient times, but for a long time pancakes were not the central dish. In more ancient times (pre-Christian and early Christian eras), Maslenitsa was celebrated 
varied food. Pancakes were a symbol of the holiday, but not the main dish on the table. Information about the preparation of pancakes by the ancient Slavs, unfortunately, can only be learned from the correspondence of early Christian chronicles, which incompletely and, possibly, falsely described the essence of the rituals, and their later lists were completely replete with errors. According to one version, the Eastern Slavs had pancakes sacrificial bread, a funeral dish at funeral feasts. The custom of eating pancakes at funerals has been preserved without its original essence or was simply not designated so as not to conflict with the official religion.
Pancakes are a universal dish, one might say an archetype. They were prepared in ancient Rome and Europe in the Middle Ages, for example in Sweden and Germany. But only among the Slavs the “pancake theme” is fully revealed. We have pancakes made from wheat, rye, buckwheat, barley and oatmeal. The abundance of fillings for pancakes and cooking options, the simplicity and speed of preparation made pancakes a Russian dish, and it was the Russians who succeeded in preparing various and interesting dishes from pancakes. We can say that pancakes are the first fast food, because they are convenient to eat with your hands, wrapping anything you like in them, and it is quite easy for an experienced cook to prepare a pile of pancakes.
