One of the most famous and important traditions is Maslenitsa. It’s considered an old Russian folk festival. It is essentially a farewell to winter and a solemn meeting with the beautiful spring. It’s celebrated during the week before Lent. In 2021, Maslenitsa is celebrated from 8 to 14 March.The festivities were always accompanied by fire - burning fires, wheels and a scarecrow were the main attributes of Maslenitsa and echoes of the sun cult that reigned in Russia. After the adoption of Christianity, the Church sanctified this pagan festival and filled it with new ideas. Shrovetide week was the last stage of preparation for Lent. In the Christian tradition, during Maslenitsa people should approach forgiveness of all wrongs, repentance, and reconciliation with their neighbors.
Each day of the Shrovetide week had certain rituals.
- On Monday there was a meeting of Maslenitsa and on Tuesday there were games.
- On the Wednesday of Maslenitsa, mother-in-laws invited their wives and sons-in-law for crepes ("blini" in Russian). Especially this custom was observed in respect of young, recently married couples. Surely this is where the expression " to mother-in-law's house for pancakes" comes from.
-The most crowded tobogganing took place on Thursday. On Friday - "Mother-in-law's night" - the son-in-law invited his mother-in-law for a treat.
-Saturday - the sister-in-law's get-together. On the penultimate day of Shrovetide week, young daughters-in-law invited their husband's relatives, primarily their sisters-in-law. If the daughter-in-law was unmarried, her unmarried friends were also invited. And if they were already married, the friends of the daughter-in-law were also invited.
-Sunday was a farewell party. People began to prepare for Lent. They asked forgiveness from relatives, they remembered the deceased. All the food was finished, and the leftovers were burned. The dishes were washed thoroughly and then people went to the sauna ("banya" in Russian). The holiday was finished with a solemn burning of the Scarecrow of Maslenitsa, the ashes were scattered over the fields, so that the coming year would be a plentiful growing season.
The traditional attributes of Maslenitsa are crepes with various toppings: caviar, sour cream, jam, cheese, salmon, and berries.
By Aleksandra Krasilnikova
March 2021
Whoa! nice post. Love to learn about other cultures
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