Shrovetide week is considered a fun and unusual holiday that lasts for seven whole days. The date of its holding is inextricably linked with Great Lent and the holiday of Easter, therefore it changes every year. Maslenitsa in 2022 will be celebrated from February 28 to March 6.
This holiday has its roots in pre-Christian times, has a rich history, numerous customs and traditions.
history of the holiday
Maslenitsa, like any old holiday, combines the principles of the Christian religion and the pagan beliefs of the ancient Slavs. It was celebrated by many Slavic peoples even before the adoption of Christianity.
According to one of the versions, the ancient Slavs on the day of the spring solstice (falls on March 22) organized festivities in honor of the god Veres, who was the protector of livestock. Another version connects the festivities with the death of the Goddess of Winter. Therefore, it is impossible to answer unequivocally whether Maslenitsa belongs to winter or spring holidays. It is considered the border separating winter and spring.
There were also many names for this holiday. In pre-Christian times, it was called Komoeditsa - in honor of the first pancake, which is usually called a lump.
After the adoption of Christianity in Russia, the official church did not cancel the festivities. And if earlier Maslenitsa was associated with the day of the vernal equinox, now it has become a part of the Christian religion. The date began to be determined according to the lunar calendar.
The term "Shrovetide" itself appeared only in the 16th century. All week before fasting, Orthodox Christians have restrictions on the consumption of meat, while dairy products (including butter) can be eaten.
When is Maslenitsa celebrated in 2022
To find out what date Maslenitsa begins, you should first clarify the date of another important holiday - Holy Easter. It is customary to celebrate it on the first Sunday after the full moon, but not earlier than the day of the vernal equinox. Due to the constantly changing date of Easter, there is no single time for celebrating Maslenitsa week. In 2022, Lent will begin on March 7, which means that Maslenitsa falls on the week before Lent - from February 28 to March 6.
Traditions and customs
For centuries, believers have wondered whether Maslenitsa is a pagan or Orthodox holiday. Although the celebration is tied to the religious calendar, it has preserved numerous traditions and rituals that have come from pagan mythology. These beliefs are exclusively folk in nature, collected over the centuries:
- If a person does not have fun on Shrovetide week, then misfortune awaits him all year.
- You cannot skimp on holiday expenses, and in many villages, tables were laid together, when all residents cooked food together. The more fun the holiday is celebrated, the more successful and productive the year is expected.
- Before the holiday, a scarecrow is made, carrying the idea of the dying and resurrection of nature. He was dressed up in women's clothing and hung with various ornaments. When the last day of Maslenitsa is, the scarecrow is publicly burned. This is an echo of the sacrificial tradition of our ancestors. The ritual was aimed at getting rid of everything that had become obsolete, and also ensured fertility in the coming year. The ash of the fire was always collected in order to scatter it in the fields before starting agricultural work.
- An obligatory attribute of the holiday is a pancake, which symbolizes the sun. Although initially pancakes were considered a memorial treat.
- Not a single Maslenitsa passed without fistfights, when they could fight both alone and in close-knit groups (walls or settlements). Among men, it was believed that blood watered during a battle would be a voluntary sacrifice for a rich harvest.There were also their own rules for conducting fist fights. So, it was impossible to beat a lying person or grab an opponent by the clothes. The winner was the player who forced the enemy to retreat or put him to flight.
- Taking the snow fortress is one of the favorite pastimes of our ancestors. Young men and men took part in snow battles, which were divided into two teams. One group was supposed to defend the fortress, and the second - to attack. A specially selected person (mayor) monitored the honesty of the battle, and also gave a start to the game.
The clergy consider Maslenitsa a Christian holiday, during which believers prepare their body and soul for a long period of abstinence - Great Lent. Therefore, they recommend to their flock to refuse to participate in folk festivals and pagan rituals.
How to celebrate Shrovetide by day of the week
Folk festivities on Maslenitsa were conventionally divided into two groups:
- From Monday to Wednesday, the "narrow" Maslenitsa was celebrated with the family. On these days, it was allowed to do household chores.
- Starting on Thursday, the "wide" Maslenitsa took over - when the festivities took a large-scale turn, and work was already prohibited.
Monday was considered a meeting with the main character - Shrovetide, who appears in the form of a stuffed straw. He was dressed up and carried through the streets in a sleigh, while they sang songs and danced. Housewives baked pancakes in the morning, treating their household members. On this day, snow fortresses were erected in the villages and hills were poured.
On Tuesday (or Zaigrysh), the scarecrow was installed on the square, people were having fun on the street, rolling down hills and arranging snow fights. It was accepted that on this day brides were shown.
Wednesday (Gourmet) is the time when relatives were invited to festive dinners. Most often, the sons-in-law came to the mother-in-law to treat themselves to hot pancakes.
On Thursday, festivities poured out into the street. This day was considered "Razgulyayem". Young people danced in round dances, rode down the hill, sang and danced, and fist fights were also arranged. On Thursday, gif.webpts were often given to each other.
Friday (or "Mother-in-law's evening") was dedicated to receiving guests, when the mother-in-law was already paying her son-in-law a return visit. There was a sign that this evening would determine what kind of family relations the whole next year would be.
On Saturday, “Zolovka's gatherings” were arranged, when the husband's relatives came to the young family for dinner. The daughter-in-law laid the table, and the guests brought her various gif.webpts to "appease her."
The last day of Maslenitsa week was called "Seeing Off". Before the beginning of Great Lent, according to church custom, you need to ask your loved ones for forgiveness. Maslenitsa was seen off on the last day of the week. A straw effigy was burned in the square, and they ate pancakes. Ritual bonfires were often arranged on the banks of rivers, when all old and unnecessary things were thrown into the fire.
Meat products were not allowed to eat throughout the week. Therefore, the guests were treated to dishes from fish, dairy and flour products, and most importantly - pancakes.
Shrovetide is a time when all believers could reconcile with each other and ask for forgiveness for their actions. So they cleansed their souls from all sins and prepared for Great Lent.
Maslenitsa festival in art, painting and music
Maslenitsa festivities have a special place in Russian art. This holiday was eagerly awaited in every home, it was considered the most fun event of the year. Poet P. Vyazemsky, characterizing Maslenitsa, wrote: "Soon Maslenitsa will boil a wide feast." These truly folk festivals are described in detail in the novel "The Lord's Summer" by I. Shmelev.
You can clearly imagine the festive atmosphere that reigned on the streets with the help of painting. B. Kustodiev gives a special place to Maslenitsa festivities in his works. The first painting dedicated to Maslenitsa, with the same name, he painted in 1916. Subsequently, several more canvases were created that illustrated Shrovetide fun.
You can also feel the joyful atmosphere of the holiday in music. So, in P. Tchaikovsky's cycle "The Seasons", a special place is occupied by a composition dedicated to the holiday. It is notable for its special enthusiasm, perfectly reflecting the mood during the festivities.
Congratulations on Maslenitsa
The wide Maslenitsa holiday is celebrated by most of our fellow citizens. Numerous congratulations can be heard or read everywhere. So, friends or family want:
- “So that not a single day of the year is lumpy like the first pancake”;
- "So that winter quickly gave way to a blooming and tender spring";
- "To ride through life like cheese in butter."
On this day, wishes of health, fertility, happiness and loyal friends sound.
What to gif.webpt
The main symbol of Shrovetide is a golden pancake, which has always been considered a wonderful gif.webpt for family and friends. They went to visit with this dish, and also invited them to their home for pancakes.
Since this holiday is considered a national one, special themed gif.webpts will be interesting, which reflect the distinctive features: carved candlesticks with a unique ornament, wooden spoons or bowls, ornaments. Gif.webpt figurines in the form of a stuffed straw are gaining popularity.
It's nice to receive a handmade gif.webpt for Shrovetide. This can be a wall decoration, a wreath or a picture. When making a gif.webpt, you should not skimp on images of flowers, the sun and, of course, do not forget about pancakes.
Delicious pancakes for Shrovetide
Each housewife has a recipe for delicious and fluffy pancakes in stock, which is inherited. You can cook fluffy thick pancakes with milk and kefir. If desired, some housewives add cocoa to the dough - then the pancakes turn out to be chocolate. Or replace wheat flour with buckwheat. There is plenty of room for creativity when making pancakes.
The traditional recipe for thick pancakes requires:
- liter of kefir;
- 2 eggs;
- 4 tbsp. tablespoons of sugar;
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of vegetable oil;
- 1 cup boiling water;
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (or baking powder)
- 4 cups flour (as much as possible) - depending on the desired thickness of the dough.
The egg is mixed with sugar and salt, then kefir is added and the mixture is put on fire to heat up to a temperature of no more than 50 degrees. Flour is poured into warm kefir. The dough will turn out to be very thick, so boiling water (with previously diluted soda) is added to dilute it. As a result, the dough should be like condensed milk in consistency. Finally, vegetable oil is poured into the mixture and mixed well.
On a hot (preferably cast-iron) frying pan, the cooked dough is evenly distributed with a ladle. Pancakes are fried on both sides until golden brown, then stacked on top of each other and coated with butter.
Maslenitsa is considered one of the few national holidays celebrated both in the village and in the city. Like our ancestors, many now observe old Russian traditions: they bake pancakes, go to visit, give gif.webpts and on Sunday go to the square to watch the ritual burning of a scarecrow.
