The celebration of Maslenitsa continued for a period, each day of which was given its own name. The "meeting" of Maslenitsa took place in. On this day, they touted her, having risen to the dais, and called her various comic names. There is a folk legend that tells how the merry Maslenitsa first appeared in the village.
Once he went to the forest for firewood and saw a thin girl hiding behind snowdrifts. He called her with him to the village - to amuse the people. A girl followed him, but only turned on the way into a puffy, ruddy woman with mischievous eyes. She became the embodiment of Maslenitsa.
Maslenitsa week
Tuesday was called "tricks". On this day, merry Shrovetide games began everywhere. Snow towns were erected, symbolizing the evil winter. Swings were installed everywhere. On Wednesday, they began to feast on plentiful Shrovetide treats, and therefore it was called "gourmet". Thursday was the busiest day. This day was called "walk around-four". On Friday, the sons-in-law went to visit their mothers-in-law, which is why it was called "mother-in-law's evening." Saturday - “sister-in-law gatherings”: daughters-in-law invited their sisters-in-law to visit. In addition, snow towns were destroyed on Saturday. The participants of the comic battle were divided into 2 teams: one besieged the town, the other defended it. The battle ended with the complete defeat of the town.However, the main day of Shrovetide week was Sunday, which bore several names, including "Seeing Shrovetide" and "Forgiveness Day". People seemed to start new life and sought to ask each other for forgiveness for all old grievances. The conversation ended with kisses and a low bow. Central event last day there was a farewell to Maslenitsa. To do this, they made a scarecrow from straw and rags in advance, dressed him in old women's clothes, gave a pancake or a frying pan in his hands and solemnly carried him through the whole village. Outside the village, an effigy was either burned at the stake, or drowned in an ice hole, or torn apart and scattered straw over the fields.
Maslenitsa in literature and art
The favorite folk holiday is reflected in the works of Russian literature and art. The scene of the celebration of Maslenitsa is at the beginning of Ostrovsky's spring fairy tale "The Snow Maiden", a colorful description of the holiday is contained in Shmelev's novel "The Summer of the Lord". The musical image of Maslenitsa is presented in Tchaikovsky's cycle The Seasons, Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Snow Maiden and Stravinsky's ballet Petrushka. Shrovetide games and skating can be seen in the picturesque canvases of Kustodiev and Surikov.Shrovetide is one of the most fun and long-awaited holidays of the year, the celebration of which lasts for seven days. At this time, people have fun, go to visit, arrange festivities and eat pancakes. Maslenitsa in 2018 will begin on February 12, and its end date will be February 18.
Pancake week is a national celebration dedicated to the meeting of spring. Before entering great post, people say goodbye to winter, enjoy the warm spring days, and, of course, bake delicious pancakes.
Maslenitsa: traditions and customs
There are several names for this holiday:
- the meat-empty Maslenitsa is called due to the fact that during the celebration they refrain from eating meat;
- cheese - because this week they eat a lot of cheese;
- Shrovetide - because they use a large number of oils.
Many people are anxiously awaiting the onset of Maslenitsa, the traditions of celebrating which are rooted deep into our history. Today, as in the old days, this holiday is celebrated on a grand scale, with chants, dances and competitions.
The most popular amusements that used to be arranged in the villages were:
- fist fights;
- eating pancakes for a while;
- sledding;
- climbing a pole for a prize;
- bear games;
- effigy burning;
- bathing in holes.
The main treat both before and now are pancakes, which can have various fillings. They are baked every day in large quantities.
Our ancestors believed that those who do not have fun on Maslenitsa will live the coming year poorly and bleakly.
Maslenitsa: what can and cannot be done?
- On Maslenitsa you can not eat meat food. It is allowed to eat fish and dairy products. As a main dish, pancakes should be on the table in every house.
- You need to eat on Maslenitsa often and a lot. Therefore, it is customary to invite guests and not skimp on treats, as well as to go on a visit.
Maslenitsa: the history of the holiday
In fact, Maslenitsa is a pagan holiday, which was eventually changed to a "format" Orthodox Church. In pre-Christian Russia, the celebration was called "Seeing off the winter."
Our ancestors revered the sun as a god. And with the onset of the first spring days, they were glad that the sun was starting to warm the earth. Therefore, a tradition appeared 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 warmth. Over time, flat cakes were replaced with pancakes.
Maslenitsa: traditions of celebration
In the first three days of the holiday, there was an active preparation for the celebration:
- brought firewood for the fire;
- decorated the huts;
- built mountains.
The main celebration took place from Thursday to Sunday. They came into the house in order to treat themselves to pancakes and drink hot tea.
In some villages, young people went from house to house with tambourines, horns, balalaikas, singing carols. City residents participated in the festivities:
- dressed in the best clothes;
- went to theatrical performances;
- visited booths to look at buffoons and have fun with a bear.
The main entertainment was the ride of children and youth from the ice slides, which they tried to decorate with lanterns and flags. Used for riding:
- matting;
- sled;
- skates;
- skins;
- ice cubes;
- wooden troughs.
Another fun event was the capture of the ice fortress. The guys built a snow town with gates, they planted guards there, and then went on the attack: they broke into the gates and climbed onto the walls. The besieged defended themselves as best they could: snowballs, brooms and whips were used.
On Maslenitsa, guys and young men showed their agility in fisticuffs. The inhabitants of two villages, landlord and monastic peasants, residents of a large village living in opposite ends could participate in the battles.
Seriously prepared for the battle:
- soared in the baths;
- ate well;
- turned to the sorcerers with a request to give a special conspiracy to win.
Features of the rite of burning an effigy of winter on Maslenitsa
As many years ago, today the culmination of Maslenitsa is considered to be the burning of an effigy. This action symbolizes the onset of spring and the end of winter. The burning is preceded by games, round dances, songs and dances, accompanied by refreshments.
As a stuffed animal, which is sacrificed, they made a large funny and at the same time scary doll, personifying Shrovetide. They made a doll out of rags and straw. After that, she was dressed up in women's clothes and left on the main street of the village during the Maslenitsa week. And on Sunday they were solemnly carried outside the village. There, the scarecrow was burned, drowned in the hole, or torn to pieces, and the straw left from it was scattered across the field.
The ritual burning of the doll had a deep meaning: it is necessary to destroy the symbol of winter in order to resurrect its power in the spring.
Maslenitsa: the meaning of every day
The holiday is celebrated from Monday to Sunday. On Shrove Week, it is customary to spend every day in its own way, observing the traditions of our ancestors:
- Monday called "Meeting Maslenitsa". On this day they start baking pancakes. It is customary to give the first pancake to the poor and needy people. On Monday, our ancestors prepared a scarecrow, dressed it in rags and put it on the main street of the village. It was on public display until Sunday.
- Tuesday nicknamed "The Gamble". It was dedicated to the youth. On this day, folk festivals were organized: they rode sledges, ice slides, carousels.
- Wednesday- "Gourmet". On this day, guests (friends, relatives, neighbors) were invited to the house. They were treated to pancakes, honey cakes and pies. Also on Wednesday it was customary to treat your sons-in-law with pancakes, hence the expression: “ My son-in-law came, where can I get sour cream?". Horse racing and fist fights were also held on this day.
- Thursday people called it "Razgulyay". From this day begins the Wide Shrovetide, which is accompanied by snowball fights, sledding, cheerful round dances and chants.
- Friday They were nicknamed "Teschin's Evenings", because on this day the sons-in-law invited the mother-in-law to their house and treated them to delicious pancakes.
- Saturday- "Zolovkin gatherings." The daughter-in-law invited her husband's sisters to their house, talked with them, treated them to pancakes and gave gifts.
- Sunday- the apotheosis of Maslenitsa. This day was called "Forgiveness Sunday". On Sunday they said goodbye to winter, saw off Maslenitsa and symbolically burned its effigy. On this day, it is customary to ask friends and relatives for forgiveness for the grievances that have accumulated over the year.
Proverbs and sayings for Maslenitsa
Video: the history and traditions of the Maslenitsa holiday
The modern generation still honors the holidays that our ancestors celebrated, and one of them is Maslenitsa. To spend Shrovetide week fun and unforgettable, you need to know about the main traditions of this event.
Shrovetide is celebrated every year a week before the start of Lent. It is during the Maslenitsa week that you can treat yourself to your favorite traditional treat and plunge into the cheerful atmosphere of the holiday. Many believe that this ancient Russian event is only pagan in nature. However, the history and some traditions of the holiday are closely connected with the Orthodox religion.
Maslenitsa: the history of the holiday
You already know that immediately after the Maslenitsa week, a long Lent begins. However, during Maslenitsa, you can enjoy delicious and hearty dishes. Eating dairy food is one of the main traditions of the holiday. Usually at the beginning of March cows calved for the first time after winter. In the cold season, people preferred not to slaughter livestock, and there was almost no meat left. Therefore, dairy products were the main source of protein. That is why pancakes for Maslenitsa were baked only in milk.
Our ancestors believed that pancakes are a symbol of the Sun and heat. To speed up the onset of spring, each housewife cooked pancakes with different fillings for a week and be sure to call guests home.
At the beginning of Shrovetide week, it was customary to begin preparations for the holiday. Therefore, they began to decorate houses, build snowy mountains and dress up a scarecrow.
Despite the fact that the Shrovetide effigy was dressed up on Monday, it was allowed to burn it only on Sunday. Thus, people saw off the boring cold winter and met a warm spring.
At the beginning of the week, all the inhabitants were building a large snow mountain. It was believed that whoever rolls down the mountain more times will have a happier year.
In this period unmarried girls and the young men began to show attention to each other. Future housewives showed the guys their culinary skills and treated them to pancakes and other pastries.
Fun is an important part of Maslenitsa. People went out into the street, danced round dances, sang and danced. Young people played snowballs, sledding and fisticuffs. Girls dreaming of getting married were guessing at their betrothed.
At this time, both experienced and young housewives could boast of their culinary skills. Mother-in-law came to the house to their sons-in-law, and they treated them to pancakes, which is why the fifth day of Maslenitsa was called “Teschin's Evenings”. However, the young wives did not want to stand aside and called the whole family to their house. Not all young girls could please the guests, and in this case they received advice from the oldest woman in the family.
We said goodbye to winter only on the last day of Maslenitsa. People arranged noisy festivities, had fun and burned an effigy. In each house a rich table was laid, in the center of which there was a large plate of pancakes. This day was also called Forgiveness Sunday. All family members asked each other for forgiveness, and believers attended church to pray for the remission of sins and begin Great Lent with a pure soul.
Burning the effigy of Maslenitsa is an ancient ritual. On the last day of Pancake Week, you will be able to say goodbye to the cold season and welcome the approaching spring. However, making a straw doll is not so easy: for this you need to familiarize yourself with the important rules and features of its creation. We wish you happiness and good mood, and don't forget to press the buttons and
Maslenitsa is a pagan holiday that has survived to this day. People believed that Spring needed help to overcome the cold Winter and for this they organized massive fun festivities with chants and various games. The celebration of Maslenitsa begins a week before Lent and 7 weeks before Easter, and lasts 7 days.
Shrovetide traditions and customs
The main treat for Shrovetide at all times were pancakes, as they symbolize the Sun. Ready-made pancakes were poured with butter and served with various dairy products. It was believed that in order to convey to the guests their warm feelings, the dough must be kneaded in a good mood and with good intentions.
The celebration of Maslenitsa in the villages was very fun. People arranged various competitions, danced and sang songs. The most common amusements were fisticuffs, eating pancakes for a while, swimming in an ice hole, playing with a bear, sleigh rides and ice slides.
The culmination of the holiday was the burning of an effigy, this ceremony is still observed today. From rags and straw they made a large doll, personifying Winter. Women's clothes were put on the scarecrow, and for the entire period of the celebration it adorned the main street. On the last day of the holiday, the doll was solemnly removed and carried outside the village, where it was torn to pieces, burned or drowned in an ice hole.
Features of the celebration
Every day of Maslenitsa is celebrated in its own way, as it has its own special meaning. The celebration begins on Monday - Maslenitsa Meetings. On this day, preparations for the holiday were being completed, a stuffed animal was being made, and pancakes were already being prepared. According to legend, the first baked pancake was given to the beggar to remember the dead.
Tuesday got the name Zaigrysh. From it they began to hold festivities, rode from ice slides, invited the first guests to pancakes.
The third day is called Lakomki, it is symbolic in that it was on Wednesday that the mother-in-law called her son-in-law and other relatives to visit.
On Thursday, it is also called Wide or Razgulyai, mass festivities, fun carnivals and noisy feasts began.
On Friday, it is the son-in-law's turn to call the mother-in-law to visit and treat her with pancakes and other pickles, thanks to which this day was called Mother-in-law's evenings.
And on Saturday, the daughters-in-law showed their hospitality to the sisters and other relatives of the spouse. That is why Saturday is Zolovkin's gatherings.
On the last day, according to tradition, an effigy of Winter was burned. In addition, on this day, they ask for forgiveness from loved ones for the offenses they have caused, which is why it was called Forgiveness Sunday.
Brief information about carnival.
by Notes of the Wild MistressA fun holiday with mass festivities, games and fun. The day of gluttony and wine drinking, after which everyone asks for forgiveness from each other. Religious holiday preparing for Lent. Pagan holiday, worship of the sun god - Yarila. Seeing off winter (in mid-February?), burning straw Maslyona at the stake ... I received such diverse answers trying to find out what Maslenitsa means for modern people. There was only one thing in common: everyone bakes pancakes!
So what is this mysterious holiday that we have known since childhood, but so differently interpreted by others? To find the roots, the tradition of celebrating Maslenitsa, let's turn to the history of its occurrence.
Where did Shrovetide come from?
So, Maslenitsa is one of the ancient Slavic folk holidays. It was also called Komoyeditsa. "Comas" are breads made from oatmeal, pea and barley flour, to which dried berries and nuts were added. They were eaten on the last day of Maslenitsa. It lasted two weeks - a week before the spring equinox (March 22) and a week after. All this time they baked pancakes - symbols of the sun. They were served hot and generously flavored with butter, which melted on pancakes like snow melts in the sun.
Bears, which have long been a symbol of Russia, were also called "komami". The first pancake - a symbol of spring - was carried to the Bear so that he would wake up from hibernation, and spring would come faster. There is even a proverb:
The first pancake is for comrades, the second pancake is for acquaintances, the third pancake is for relatives, and the fourth pancake is for me.
So, the first pancake is comAm, not lumpy, as we used to say. Lumpy - this is for those who do not know how to bake!
With the adoption of Christianity in Russia, Maslenitsa was timed to coincide with the last week before Lent, so the date of the celebration began to change every year depending on Easter.
The ecclesiastical name of Maslenitsa is Cheese (or meat-fat) week. During this period, it is allowed to consume dairy products, eggs and fish, and you should refrain from meat. That is, it is a kind of preparation for fasting. The meaning of the holiday is in good communication with neighbors - friends, relatives. Maslenitsa ends with Forgiveness Sunday.
Under Peter I, Maslenitsa began to be celebrated in a European way - with clownish antics, processions of mummers like Italian carnivals, with booze and partying. The festival was called "The most joking, the most drunken and the most extravagant cathedral." Such a "demonic" celebration of Maslenitsa lasted for almost thirty years...
It is on such roots that our modern holiday, Maslenitsa, has grown. Accordingly, absorbing a little of everything.
Rites and traditions of Maslenitsa
Having found out the origins of the holiday, we will now consider the rituals and traditions of the celebration.
1. pancake baking symbolizing the sun. They put their heart and soul into their preparation. The dough was kneaded in a good mood, with good intentions, in order to convey warm feelings to everyone who eats pancakes.
2. Capture of the snow fort. It was a struggle between the New (forces of heat) and the foundations of Balance (forces of cold). Women, personifying balance, were at the top of the fortress and guarded the goddess Marena (Maru), made of branches and straw, symbolizing Winter. Men, personifying the forces of the new, were to take the fortress and carry Marena out of her halls. But not the first time, but only the third. It symbolized the trinity. The first two times the men prudently retreated, trying to grab some little things from the girls. And finally, for the third time, the forces of the New won and carried the straw effigy of Madder-Winter to the fire.
3. Ritual of awakening the Bear. On the way, they walked past the "Bear's lair", which they woke up and treated to the first pancake. The awakening of the bear, "coma" symbolized the awakening of all nature, the onset of spring.
4. Burning a straw man meant seeing off Winter to her icy halls. At home, they also made small dolls in advance, similar to a large one, and various other figures - horses, birds, flowers, stars from all kinds of ropes, handkerchiefs, paper, tow, wood and straw. Everything bad that they wanted to get rid of was invested in them. When on the last day of Shrovetide they burned Winter, they threw home-made figurines into the fire, throwing out all the troubles and illnesses with them.
Yes, one more thing. In connection with the advent of Christianity, the date sometimes shifted to the beginning of February, for example, this year Maslenitsa falls on February 16th. It was somehow inappropriate to burn Winter when there were two months left before the snow melted. The Russian people, with their ingenuity, corrected this discrepancy by naming the effigy Maslenaya, and timing its burning to the end of the holiday itself - Maslenitsa, the transition to Great Lent.
5. Round dance and buffoons. When they lit a fire around the effigy, so that the fire spread more, they began to dance round dances around it and sing songs: "Burn, burn brightly so that it does not go out." And buffoons showed performances, sang ditties. "How pancakes flew out of the chimney during Shrove Week! .."
6. Then everyone was invited for common table, rich in treats: pancakes with butter and honey, oatmeal jelly, cookies, coma bread, herbal teas and many other dishes.
These are the traditions of Maslenitsa.
Maslenitsa today
Recently, these traditions have been revived. In Russian cities and villages, pancakes are baked throughout the Maslenitsa week and people visit each other. And on the last day of Maslenitsa, mass festivities are held with horseback riding, fun contests, sports competitions, and active winter games.
open trade fairs where they sell all sorts of goodies and folk crafts and souvenirs. Artisans exhibit their work. Here are wicker baskets, and earthenware, and Russian folk scarves, and a lot of everything beautiful, sincere, native, truly Russian. Everyone can buy a gift for themselves and their loved ones.
Small souvenirs - Maslenitsa symbols, you can buy here if you did not have time to make them at home. Having mentally put your troubles and sorrows into them, throw them into the fire to the burning effigy of Maslena - thus get rid of misfortunes this year.
The obligatory part is tea drinking at the samovar with painted gingerbread and bagels. Well, and, of course, pancakes and pancakes with various fillings. "From the heat, from the heat", with oil, red caviar, honey - this is only a small part of this huge holiday - Maslenitsa!
And although this holiday exists in many countries, it is not celebrated anywhere on such a scale as in Russia! Therefore, many tourists from different countries trying to get to the celebration of Russian Maslenitsa.
Polina Vertinskaya
