Shrovetide description of the tradition. Brief information about Shrovetide. Shrovetide: why is it called so

Maslenitsa is an ancient Slavic holiday that came to us from pagan culture and survived after the adoption of Christianity. The Church included Shrovetide in the number of its holidays, calling it Cheese, or Meat Week, since Shrovetide falls on the week preceding Lent. In 2010 Maslenitsa starts on 8 February.

According to one version, the name "Shrovetide" arose because this week, according to Orthodox tradition, meat was already excluded from food, and dairy products could still be consumed.

Shrovetide is the most fun and satisfying folk holiday lasting a whole week. The people have always loved him and affectionately called him "katochka", "sugar mouth", "kissing woman", "honest carnival", "merry", "pepelochka", "perebuha", "obeduha", "yasochka".

Horse riding, which was worn with the best harness, was an integral part of the holiday. The guys who were going to get married bought a sled specifically for this ride. All the young couples certainly took part in the skating. Just as widespread as holiday horseback riding was the riding of young people from the icy mountains. Among the customs of rural youth on Maslenitsa were also jumping over the fire and taking the snow town.

In the 18th and 19th centuries. The central place in the festival was occupied by the peasant Maslenitsa comedy, in which characters from the mummers took part - Maslenitsa, Voevoda and others. Maslenitsa itself served as the plot for them with its abundant treats before the upcoming fast, with its goodbyes and a promise to return next year ... Often some real local events were included in the performance.

Shrovetide has retained the character of folk festivities for many centuries. All Shrovetide traditions are aimed at driving away the winter and waking up nature from sleep. Shrovetide was greeted with magnificent songs on the snow slides. The symbol of Shrovetide was a stuffed straw, dressed in women's clothes, with which they had fun, and then buried or burned at the stake along with a pancake, which the stuffed animal was holding in its hand.

Pancakes are the main treat and symbol of Shrovetide. They are baked every day from Monday, but especially a lot from Thursday to Sunday. The tradition of baking pancakes has been in Russia since the time of worship of pagan gods. After all, it was the sun god Yarilo who was called to drive away the winter, and the round ruddy pancake is very similar to the summer sun.

Each housewife traditionally had her own special recipe for making pancakes, which was passed down from generation to generation through the female line. Pancakes were baked mainly from wheat, buckwheat, oatmeal, corn flour, adding millet or semolina porridge, potatoes, pumpkin, apples, cream to them.

In Russia, there was a custom: the first pancake was always for the repose, as a rule, it was given to a beggar to commemorate all the dead or put on the window. Pancakes were eaten with sour cream, eggs, caviar and other delicious spices from morning to evening, alternating with other dishes.

The whole week on Shrovetide was referred to as "honest, wide, cheerful, boyarynya-Shrovetide, Mrs. Shrovetide". Until now, each day of the week has its own name, which tells what to do on that day. On the Sunday before Maslenitsa, by tradition, they paid visits to relatives, friends, neighbors, and also invited them to visit. Since it was impossible to eat meat during Shrovetide week, the last Sunday before Maslenitsa was called "meat Sunday", on which the father-in-law went to call his son-in-law "to finish the meat."

Monday is the "meeting" of the holiday. On this day, ice slides were arranged and rolled out. Children made a straw effigy of Maslenitsa in the morning, dressed it up and carried it all together through the streets. Swings were arranged, tables with sweets.

Tuesday is "play". Fun games begin on this day. In the morning the girls and fellows rode on the icy mountains, ate pancakes. The guys were looking for brides, and the girls? grooms (and weddings were played only after Easter).

Wednesday is a gourmet. Pancakes, of course, are in the first place among the treats.

Thursday - "take a walk". On this day, in order to help the sun drive away the winter, people traditionally arrange horseback riding "in the sun" - that is, clockwise around the village. The main thing for the male half on Thursday is the defense or the capture of the snow town.

Friday - "mother-in-law of the evening", when the son-in-law goes "to the mother-in-law for pancakes."

Saturday - "sister-in-law's gatherings". On this day, they visit all relatives, and are treated to pancakes.

Sunday is the final "forgiven day", when they ask forgiveness from relatives and friends for insults and after that, as a rule, they sing and dance merrily, thus seeing off the wide Shrovetide. On this day, a straw effigy that personifies the passing winter is burned on a huge bonfire. It is installed in the center of the campfire site and they say goodbye to it with jokes, songs, dances. They scold the winter for frost and winter hunger and thank for the merry winter fun. After that, the scarecrow is set on fire accompanied by cheerful exclamations and songs. When the winter burns down, the final fun ends the holiday: young people jump over the fire. This competition in dexterity ends the Maslenitsa holiday.

Farewell to Shrovetide ended on the first day of Great Lent - Clean Monday, which was considered the day of cleansing from sin and fast food. On Clean Monday, they always washed in the bathhouse, and the women washed the dishes and "steamed" the dairy utensils, cleaning them of fat and remnants of meat.

Many jokes, jokes, songs, proverbs and sayings are associated with the days of Maslenitsa: "It is not butter without a pancake", "To ride on the mountains, to lie in pancakes", "Not life, but Maslenitsa", "Maslenitsa to eat, money is to lay everything off yourself, and carry out Shrovetide "," Not all Shrovetide for the cat, but there will be Great Lent "," Shrovetide is afraid of bitter radish and steamed turnips "(ie fasting).

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

Maslenitsa is an interesting and beloved holiday by many, which has come down to us from ancient times. It exists among both Slavic and most European peoples.
In folk culture, Maslenitsa week marks the transition from winter to the long-awaited spring, and marks the beginning of a new life cycle. In the Christian tradition, this period precedes Lent - at this time the Orthodox are no longer desirable to eat meat products, while dairy products are still allowed (hence the church name of the week - "Cheese week").

Shrovetide has long been considered a holiday of the sun. All this week in Russia it is customary to bake pancakes, which symbolize the luminary. It is customary to treat this ritual food with reverence and respect - so, pancakes were never allowed to be cut or pierced. Pancakes were sure to treat both their loved ones and all the people they met, especially orphans, beggars and wanderers. According to popular beliefs, the more satisfying the pancake table is, the more abundant and happier the coming year will be.

There were a great many recipes for pancakes. More often the dough was kneaded with yeast, milk and buckwheat flour - pancakes on this basis turned out to be the most lush and satisfying. Less common were the thin lacy wheat flour pancakes that are so popular today. The fillings in Pancake Week were dense, but not meaty - cottage cheese, sour cream, mushrooms, fatty fish, caviar. Pancakes with baking were considered a special delicacy - the filling was laid out on the prepared pancake, and on top it was poured with an additional layer of dough.

Any type of pancake is best baked in a well-roasted skillet, lightly oiled to avoid lumps. By the way, folklorists have a version that the well-known saying “the first pancake is lumpy” is not connected at all with the difficulties of preparation, but with another important Maslenitsa action. In some regions of Russia and Belarus, the custom of ritual feeding of bears that woke up after hibernation was recorded. The owner of the forest, whose real name was taboo (the Slavic names "bear" or "lump" served as euphemisms), were brought the first pancakes as a gift and a sign of respect. That is, in reality, the first pancake was relied on comAm. Another interpretation of this proverb is associated with the tradition of eating the first pancakes in memory of deceased relatives. From the bitterness of the loss of loved ones, the pancakes got "a lump in the throat."

In addition to the rituals associated with pancakes, Maslenitsa is famous for various festivities and amusements - this is sleigh rides, visits to guests, and, of course, the culminating burning of a scarecrow. Traditionally, all these actions had their own scenario and were timed to a specific day of the week.

Monday - "Meeting"... The beginning of the Narrow Maslenitsa, preparation for street festivities - filling the hills, making a stuffed Maslenitsa. Pancakes were eaten for the repose of loved ones and given to the "poor brethren." On this day, the father-in-law and mother-in-law let the daughter-in-law go to visit her father and mother, and in the evening they themselves came to the matchmakers.

Tuesday - "Flirt"- on this day there were youth street festivities, snow games, matchmaking, bride brides. All agreements on marriage had to be concluded before Great Lent, since weddings were not performed during Lent.

Wednesday - "Lakomka"... On "Lakomka" the sons-in-law went to visit their mother-in-law, bringing their family with them. It was a matter of honor to set a generous table and to feed the guests deliciously. It was believed that at Lakomka one should eat as many pancakes as possible.

Thursday - "Take a walk" opened the Wide Maslenitsa. All household work was stopped, the most large-scale festivities began. Traditional entertainment - fist fights, taking snow towns, dressing up, carols, jumping over bonfires. The girls called out to spring, singing ritual songs.

Friday - "Mother-in-law's evening"... Mother-in-law, often with their girlfriends, came to visit the daughters 'husbands' pancakes.

Saturday - "Cousin's Gatherings"... The daughters-in-law invited her husband's sisters to visit. On this day, the commemoration of the dead also took place, it was customary to go to the cemetery. Even domestic animals were treated to pancakes: "so that the cattle in the house would not be transferred."

On "Forgiveness Sunday" in churches, a special church rite of forgiveness was performed - the congregation asked each other for forgiveness for the offenses inflicted during the year, in order to enter the period of Great Lent with a pure heart. The culmination of the day is the festive farewell to Maslenitsa. At lunchtime, a pre-prepared straw effigy was burned (in the southern provinces - it was buried) - a symbol of winter. The remnants of the festive feast were often sent to the fire. Ashes from the burnt scattered across the fields as a gift to Mother Earth. The more ash was collected, the more fertile the year was expected.

On the first day of Great Lent, Clean Monday, the final farewell to Shrovetide took place. The whole family was steamed in a well-heated bath. The hostesses thoroughly swept the house, washed the dishes left over from Maslenitsa from fat and crumbs.

Maslenitsa is an old and surprisingly well-preserved Russian holiday, which does not lose its popularity to this day. Its dates are different every year, as they depend on the time of Easter. In 2017, Maslenitsa is celebrated from 20 to 26 February.

Pancake week- an ancient Slavic holiday, which symbolizes the farewell to winter and the joyful expectation of spring. The festivities last a week and end on Forgiveness Sunday.

Maslenitsa begins to be celebrated a week before Lent - the date of the celebration is tied to Orthodox Easter and changes every year.

According to one of the versions, the origin of the word "Maslenitsa" is based on the Russian custom of baking pancakes. This tradition is connected with the desire of people to win over the sun, to persuade him with the help of pancakes to warm the frozen earth. It was the round pancake that was the sacrificial bread - a gift to the pagan gods.

Since ancient times, Pancake Week has been famous for its hearty and plentiful food. The main dish of the holiday is pancakes, which are said to be especially tasty on Shrovetide.
On the eve of a long fast, people try to enjoy delicious and varied dishes, and not deny themselves anything.

But pancakes are not the only treat for the holidays. As a rule, a rich table is set on Shrovetide - they serve pancakes and pies with various fillings (mushroom, cottage cheese, cabbage, and so on).

Shrovetide was famous not only for its rich treats - at this time, mass rides from slides, dances, folk singing, and fires were made. But the main tradition is considered to be burning a scarecrow at the stake. This symbolizes the departure of the annoying winter. People welcome the long-awaited spring.

Before the adoption of Christianity, Maslenitsa was celebrated for 14 days, and today it lasts a week.

Pancakes

Pancakes appeared in Russia more than a thousand years ago. During this time, the recipes for their preparation have undergone many changes. By tradition, each hostess had her own recipe for making pancakes.

They were baked from different types of flour with the addition of various ingredients, but they have always remained a favorite treat in every home. To this day, pancakes are considered a Russian traditional dish.

We ate pancakes with butter, sour cream, honey, caviar, fish and vegetable filling. It is difficult to say with what tastes better - everyone has their own opinion on this matter. Some people eat pancakes only with sour cream, others recognize only sweet fillings, and still others adore with herring or red fish.

You can cook several types of fish: salted red, herring, hot or cold smoked mackerel, smoked cod or pink salmon - the choice is great. Various pates are good for pancakes, although according to Orthodox tradition, meat is not eaten this week. Those with a sweet tooth prefer to pour honey, condensed milk, jam or syrup on pancakes.

In Russia, there was a custom - the first pancake was always for the repose, as a rule, they gave it to a beggar to remember all the dead, or simply put it on the window.

Traditions and customs

Prepared for the celebration of Maslenitsa in advance. People began preparations from the Saturday of the previous week and celebrated the "Little Pancake Week".

In the old days, according to tradition, young men gathered in small groups, walked around the villages and collected sandals, after which they greeted those returning with purchases from the bazaar or city with the question: "Are you taking Shrovetide?" For the answer: "I'm not taking it", people got decent cuffs with bast shoes.

Also, before Maslenitsa on Sunday, according to the tradition of those times, it was imperative to visit relatives, neighbors and friends, as well as invite them to visit.

Shrovetide is the most cheerful folk holiday, each day of the week of which has its own name and meaning. The festive week was divided into Narrow Shrovetide, which includes the first 3 days, and Wide, which was allocated for the remaining 4 days.

In the first half, along with the festive events, it was allowed to do housework, and in the second half, no one worked - everyone indulged in festive pleasures in full force.

Delicious and hearty pancakes were baked all week. They were eaten at home, at a party, on street festivities. And now almost every family has a tradition - to eat pancakes at least once a week.

Maslenitsa days

Monday - the first day of Shrovetide is called "meeting". On this day, ice slides were arranged and rolled out. In the old days it was believed that the farther the sled or sleigh rolled, the louder the noise and laughter over the ice slide, the better the harvest would be and the longer flax would be produced.

They made an effigy of Maslenitsa out of straw, dressed it in old women's clothes, put the effigy on a pole and, singing songs, drove it on a sleigh through the village. Then this scarecrow was placed on a snowy mountain, from which sledding began.

By this day, the swing and booths were being completed. Pancakes began to bake. On this day, relatives went to each other to agree on how to spend the week.

Tuesday is "play". On this day, it was customary to start funny games and treat pancakes for the created fun. Young people in the morning went for a drive from the mountains and eat pancakes.

This day was especially exciting for unmarried girls, as bride shows were arranged for the flirtation. All Shrovetide rituals, in fact, boiled down to matchmaking, in order to have a wedding after Great Lent, on Krasnaya Gorka.

Wednesday is a gourmet. On this day, all the hostesses prepare various goodies in large quantities and decorate a rich table with them, but pancakes naturally come first. Also on this day, the mother-in-law showed her affection for her son-in-law and invited him to a treat. In the villages, they jointly brewed beer.

Thursday - "take a walk". From that day on, Maslenitsa unfolded in full breadth - they walked from morning to evening, danced, danced, sang ditties. The people indulged in all kinds of fun, icy mountains, booths, swings, fist fights, noisy parties. On this day, in order to help the sun drive away the winter, people traditionally arrange horseback riding "in the sun" - that is, clockwise around the village.

This was the most beloved and beautiful Shrovetide rite. Everyone who had a horse rode out, and motley teams were racing through the streets of cities and villages: the rich flaunted sleek trotters and painted sleds covered with carpet or bearskin, and peasant horses galloped clumsily after them, cleaned to a shine, decorated with colored ribbons ... Horse hooves rattled, bells and bells rang, harmonics flooded.

On this day, a snowy town with towers and gates was built on rivers, ponds and fields, then the gang was divided in half: some guarded the town, others had to take it by force.

Fistfights were also held on this day. According to the rules, it was impossible to hide something heavy in a mitten, to hit below the waist and on the back of the head.

Friday - "mother-in-law of the evening". A number of Shrovetide customs on this day were aimed at speeding up weddings and helping young people to find a suitable match for themselves. The sons-in-law invited their mother-in-law to visit - they treated them to pancakes. The son-in-law was obliged to personally invite the mother-in-law in the evening.

In some places, "mother-in-law pancakes" took place at the "gourmet", that is, on Wednesday during Shrovetide week, but could coincide with Friday. So the sons-in-law could also be invited to the mother-in-law's pancakes. But if on Wednesday the sons-in-law were visiting their mother-in-law, then on Friday the sons-in-law organized "mother-in-law evenings" and invited them to pancakes.

Saturday - "sister-in-law's gatherings". On this day, the young daughter-in-law invited her relatives to her place. If the sister-in-law was still in girls, then the daughter-in-law called her girlfriends-girls, if the sister-in-law was married, then she called the married girlfriends or relatives. The daughter-in-law was obliged to present her sister-in-law with gifts. Shrovetide was, as it were, an excuse to get together and gossip.

On this day, all the newlyweds gathered from the surrounding villages to the village, where they were honored. Young, standing in the crowd of spectators, were summoned to the roller coaster. There they had to bow to "the world" - the villagers who had gathered to watch the event, kiss and ride down the mountain in a sleigh. Under the mountain, the young had to kiss until the audience got tired of shouting: "Come on, come on!"

The meaning of this ritual action is in the desire to exalt the newlyweds, as well as to express universal recognition and approval of the marriage that has taken place.

Resurrection - "forgiveness Sunday", as well as "farewell, kisselovnik". On this day, it is customary to ask for forgiveness from all loved ones, offended for the harm done, for some of their misdeeds. And to forgive them inwardly with a pure heart for the same actions that were accidentally or intentionally caused. This is a very bright and beautiful day before the beginning of Lent. In 2018, Lent begins on February 19.

After that, you can start singing and dancing, thus seeing off the magnificent Maslenitsa. On this day, a straw effigy is burned on a huge bonfire - the main heroine of the Maslenitsa holiday, personifying the passing winter.

The scarecrow is installed in the center of a huge fire and they say goodbye to it with jokes, songs, dances. They scold the winter for frost and winter hunger and thank for the merry winter fun. After that, the scarecrow is set on fire accompanied by cheerful exclamations and songs. Then the youth jumps over the fire and with this competition in agility the Maslenitsa holiday ends.

UDC 39

Pancake week. The history of the holiday and its traditions.

Maslenitsa. The history of the holiday and its traditions.

Annotation: This thesis is devoted to the examination of the traits of the Russian national character through the prism of Russian traditional holidays on the example of Maslenitsa. The history of Maslenitsa goes back to pre-Christian Russia. Maslenitsa, as the brightest, funniest, widest and most spectacular Russian holiday, is popular among the Russian people. Today Maslenitsa is a symbol of Russian folk holidays with a thousand-year history.

Annotation: This thesis is devoted to consideration of features of the Russian national character through the prism of Russian traditional holidays, for example carnival. The history of carnival rooted in pre-Christian Russia. Carnival, as the bright, cheerful, wide and spectacular Russian holiday, is popular among the Russian people. Today, Maslenitsa is a symbol of Russian folk festivals with a millennial history.

Keywords: Maslenitsa, Russian national holiday, national character, traits of Russian national character

Thekeywords: Maslenitsa, a Russian national holiday, national character features of Russian national character

National character is a combination of the most stable for a given national community features of emotional and sensory perception of the surrounding world and forms of reactions to it. It is expressed in emotions, feelings, moods and manifests itself in national temperament.

Since ancient times, since its inception, Russia has established itself as an unusual, unique, attractive and incomprehensible country. About Russia F.I. Tyutchev (1803 - 1873 ) said:

The mind of Russia does not understand

A common yardstick cannot be measured:

She has a special become -

You can only believe in Russia.

These lines are certainly relevant to this day. Russia is a country that does not fall under any standards, patterns and laws of logic. Her character is the character of her people, it is complex and contradictory.

Many factors influence the formation of a national character that has been developing for a long time in history. Among these factors, the most important are culture and history. Traditional holidays as an important component of the national culture are considered to be carriers, reflecting and inheriting the national culture; the process of accumulation and coagulation of national history and culture over a long period of time; a combined indication of national character and national culture; a true profile picture of the nation and state. Therefore, with the help of Russian national traditional holidays, it will be useful to further and deeply research and analyze the Russian national character.

The history of Maslenitsa goes back to pre-Christian Russia. Maslenitsa, as the brightest, funniest, widest and most spectacular Russian holiday, is popular among the Russian people. On the days of Maslenitsa there are a number of rituals: burning a straw effigy of Winter, cooking and eating pancakes, sleigh rides and an echo of pagan rituals. Today Maslenitsa is a symbol of Russian folk holidays with a thousand-year history. No country celebrates anything like this.

This thesis is devoted to the examination of the traits of the Russian national character through the prism of Russian traditional holidays on the example of Maslenitsa. It consists of an introduction, main text, conclusion and bibliography.

The introduction includes a statement of the relevance, purpose, objectives, significance and research methods of this thesis. The basic concept of the Russian national character is briefly noted.

The main text is divided into two chapters. The first chapter explains general information about Maslenitsa: its origin, traditions of celebration, and influence on modern Russian society.

The second chapter sets out the main features of the Russian national character, manifested in the customs and traditions of the Russian traditional Maslenitsa holiday, analyzes in detail such features as religiosity, belligerence, hospitality and collegiality.

In conclusion, we came to the conclusion: the Russian national holiday Maslenitsa is an effective way to study the traits of the Russian national character. Shrovetide can clearly reflect the main features of the Russian national character.

Introduction

Chapter 1 General information about Shrovetide

1.1. The origin of Shrovetide.

1.2. Shrovetide traditions

1.3. The impact of Maslenitsa on modern Russian society

Chapter 2 Traits of the Russian national character through the prism of Maslenitsa

2.1. Religiosity

2.2. Militancy

2.3. Hospitality

2.4. Collegiality

Conclusion

Literature

Introduction

Everyone knows that every people inhabiting our planet does not arise from niotkut. Over the course of thousands of years, with the development of society, each nation has gradually developed peculiar customs, well-established traditions and the most incredible and exotic rituals, which make up the invisible, but purely individual cultural baggage of each nationality. Customs and rituals are an integral part of life. Every nation is a complex world. The members of the people have the same language, a common environment of politics and economics, common sources of history, a common territory and the accumulation of culture. Thus, they have many common features, which are called national character traits.

About national character, in different fields of research there are different terms, such as the main personality types, national traits, social character, ethnic characteristics, national mentality, national individuality, in fact, they all indicate national character. National character is a unique national flavor of emotions and feelings, ways of thinking and actions, stable and national features of habits and traditions that are formed under the influence of living conditions, the characteristics of the historical development of a given nation and manifested in the specifics of its national culture. It changes with changes in faith, natural environment, social regime, etc. In the ethnic consciousness of each people in a stereotypical form there are ideas about the typical ideas of a particular nation: the British are conservative, the Germans are neat and hardworking, the Spaniards are proud, etc. ... A lot and in very different ways have been written about the Russian national identity as the Russians themselves.

Russia, a vast country, has the largest area in the world, a special geographical position, and even a harsh climate. Therefore, Russians have a mysterious soul, resilience, a tendency to extremes, the ability to survive under any circumstances, generosity, self-confidence, courage, honesty, kindness, love of freedom, hard work, humanity, cordiality, compassion, selflessness, striving for justice, etc.

Writer A.N. Tolstoy wrote: “The Russian character is light, open, good-natured, compassionate ... when life does not demand him for a heavy sacrifice. But when trouble comes - the Russian person is harsh, two-stricken in work and merciless to the enemy, not sparing himself, he does not spare the enemy either ... In the little things, the Russian person can be unfair to himself and others, to get off with a joke ... But justice in big ideas and big deeds lives. It is ineradicable in it. In the name of justice, in the name of the common, in the name of the Motherland, without thinking about himself, he will throw himself into the fire. "

An invaluable contribution to the study of the Russian national character was made by the book of the Russian philosopher N.O. Lossky (1870 - 1965) "The character of the Russian people." In his book, Lossky gives the following list of the main features, such as religiosity, sociability, feeling and will, love of freedom, inherent in the Russian national character.

The importance of N.A. Berdyaev imparted a collective-tribal principle in the development of the Russian national character and in the fate of Russia. According to Berdyaev, "spiritual collectivism", "spiritual conciliarism" is "a high type of brotherhood of people." Such collectivism is the future. But there is also another collectivism. This is "irresponsible collectivism", which dictates to a person the need to "be like everyone else." The Russian man, Berdyaev believed, is drowning in such collectivism, he feels himself immersed in the collective. Hence the lack of personal dignity and intolerance towards those who are not like others, who, thanks to their work and abilities, have the right to more.

In the Russian people there is such a proverb: “ Better to die standing than live on your knees". This proverb figuratively reflects the belligerence of the Russian people. The Russian people are distinguished from other peoples by their belligerence. The reason is that a sense of honor plays an important role. A sense of honor is an indestructible foundation laid in Russians. It cannot be destroyed.

Holidays are the most reliable sources of information about the national character, since there is no individual behind them, their creator is the people, this is a collective creation. Of the many Russian national holidays, Maslenitsa is the brightest, funniest, widest and most spectacular Russian holiday, it is distinguished by unique traditions and rituals, provides rich material for a comprehensive study of the character traits of the nation. In the long process of development of Russian culture and history, Maslenitsa honestly captures in its semantics peculiar Russian cultural attitudes and stereotypes, directly or indirectly reflects the views of the Russian people, the ideology of its era, and the peculiarities of the Russian national character. Therefore, we have chosen the Maslenitsa holiday as our subject of research, through the prism of this holiday we analyze the features of the Russian national character, which is our goal of the study.

Based on the set goal, the following tasks are distinguished:

1) Present the basic information of Shrovetide;

2) Find out the origin and important traditions of the celebration of Maslenitsa;

3) Point out how Maslenitsa affects modern Russian society;

4) Analyze the traits of the Russian national character using the traditions and customs of Maslenitsa.

To solve the set tasks, the following methods are used: method of continuous sampling; contextual observation method; contextual analysis method; method of comparison and generalization.

The significance of the study lies in identifying one of the most important Russian holidays - Maslenitsa, in a deeper and more comprehensive knowledge of the traits of the Russian national character. All this is of great importance for learners of the Russian language or people who deal with Russians.

Chapter 1 General information about Maslenitsae

1.1. The origin of ShrovetideNS

Shrovetide is a Russian folk holiday, rooted in ancient times, originated in those days when the Slavs did not yet know Christianity, they were pagans, then the beginning of the New Year was celebrated not in winter, but with the arrival of spring, the first of March. It is believed that it was a Slavic holiday of farewell to winter, and at the same time there was a farewell to the old year and a meeting of the new one. With the introduction of Christianity to Russia, the church tried to prohibit noisy pagan Slavic ritual activities, to eradicate cheerful folk festivals, but nothing came of it. Thus, in Shrovetide, agrarian and family ritual actions, echoes of pagan and Christian ideas about the human being and the structure of the world around them, intertwined.

Shrovetide is called differently, all these names have the same thoughts. Due to the abstinence from meat, the name of meat-and-mouth came about; from eating cheese - cheese week; from the widespread use of oil - Shrovetide, which lasts a whole week before Lent. In the calendar and church books, the name of the cheese week is used. At this time, Russians do not eat anything meat, but they can eat fish, milk, eggs and cheese. Therefore, the well-known name of this week throughout Russia is Maslenitsa.

Russians celebrate Maslenitsa in the last week before Lent, which lasts seven weeks and ends with Easter. During Great Lent, the Church instructs believers to refrain from fast foods (meat, butter, etc.), amusements and entertainment - this is the people who seek to have fun "for the future." An ancient proverb says: "As you celebrate the new year, so you will spend it." Therefore, Maslenitsa was celebrated on a large scale: they sang songs, danced in round dances, called for Spring, burned a scarecrow of winter. Each ritual has a special meaning. In this holiday, the cult of ancestors, agrarian and family cults are well traced. It is believed that the cult of ancestors can be traced in the tradition of baking ritual pancakes (part of the memorial food), as well as in the tradition of Forgiven Sunday. The family and generic nature of the holiday can be associated with the name of the Shrovetide days. The agrarian cult can be traced in many holidays, including the rituals of Maslenitsa.

Pancakes are the main symbol of Maslenitsa. They symbolize light, victory over evil and the arrival of spring. This symbolism of the pancake is quite understandable, because it is as hot, golden and round as the sun. It is also believed that the more pancakes you eat for Shrovetide, the richer and happier you will live the year.

1.2. Shrovetide traditions

During the Maslenitsa celebrations, Orthodox traditions play an important role in history. The last preparatory week for Great Lent is called Cheese Week. This week - this time in the church calendar is associated with reflections on the coming end of evil and the victory of good after the Last Judgment - during this week Christians should feel "the joy of the expected coming of the Kingdom of God."

According to tradition, festive feasts with family and friends are supposed to be held on Shrove Tuesday, visiting each other - all this brings together, gives a reason to ask the grievances and discontent that have accumulated over the year, because at the end of this week, on the day before Lent, there is a forgiveness Sunday.

The Church warns the flock against any immoderation. Drunkenness, frivolous actions and dangerous games at this time - while having fun, one should not forget about the high preparatory purpose of this bright, joyful week. " Peace with the ancestors may weep bitterly: fallen to sweet food with the fallen”, Sounds in the hymns of Cheese Week - this is how the fall of Adam and Eve, which occurred from intemperance, is recalled, and the praise of fasting with its saving fruits is contained. With this reading, the Church reminds us that we must do good deeds, and calls sinners to repentance, reminding us that we will have to answer for all sins. On Cheese Week, the Sacrament of Wedding is no longer performed, the Liturgy is not served on Wednesday and Friday, and a prayer is said at the Clock.

Maslenitsa folk traditions also occupy an important place. On Shrovetide, throughout the week, fun, traditions and fun always follow an established sequence, which is expressed in the name of Shrovetide days. On Monday - Shrovetide meeting, on Tuesday - flirting. On Wednesday of Shrove Tuesday, mother-in-law invited sons-in-law and wives to pancakes. This custom was especially observed in relation to the young, recently married, hence the expression "to the mother-in-law for pancakes." The busiest tobogganing took place on wide Thursday. On Friday - mother-in-law's evening - the sons-in-law called the mother-in-law for a treat. Saturday was allotted to the sister-in-law's gatherings. Sunday was called "forgiveness day", on this day everyone visited relatives, friends and acquaintances, exchanged kisses, bows and asked for forgiveness from each other if offended by words or deeds. The whole week was called "honest, wide, cheerful, Maslenitsa boyarynya, Madame Maslenitsa."

Monday is called meeting. On this day, ice slides, swings and booths were being completed, the Maslenitsa effigy was dressed up in old women's clothes. They put him on a large pole and took him on a sleigh with cheerful, glorious songs. Then the scarecrow was installed on an ice slide, from which sledding was arranged. On Monday, pancakes began to be baked, and the first pancake was usually received by the beggars in commemoration of the dead.

Tuesday is called "flirting". In the morning, young people rode down the mountains and ate pancakes, and also invited relatives and friends to visit: “We have mountains ready, and pancakes are baked - please welcome.” Theatrical performances with the participation of Petrushka and Maslenitsa grandfather were given in wooden booths. The buffoons sang ditties. It was customary to build ice fortresses, to arrange comic battles. At the end of the 18th century, festivities were organized in St. Petersburg on St. Isaac's Square, where booths and merry-go-rounds were set up, and ice slides were built. In Moscow we went sledding along the Moskva River and the Neglinka River. We held masquerades on Moscow streets.

On Wednesday, at the “gourmands”, tables were set in every family, offering guests pancakes, dishes made from fish, eggs, cottage cheese, and milk. In some regions of Russia, mother-in-law paid special attention to their sons-in-law - "mother-in-law pancakes". In cities and towns, trade tents were set up, where they offered hot sbitni, Russian gingerbread, nuts, boiling tea from a samovar.

Thursday was the middle of games and fun. Perhaps it was then that the hot Maslenitsa fist fights took place, fists, originating from Ancient Russia. They also had their own strict rules. It was impossible, for example, to beat a lying person, “they don’t beat a person while lying down,” two of them could not attack one “two are fighting - the third should not go in,” to beat below the belt or “one on one”. In addition, everyone enjoyed riding on ice slides, swings and horses, organizing feasts, carnivals, and starting carols. We walked from morning to evening, danced, danced in circles, and sang ditties. In vain is Thursday also called "wide revelry."

Friday was famous for "mother-in-law evenings". A number of Shrovetide customs were aimed at speeding up weddings, helping young people to find a mate. And how much attention and honors were given to the newlyweds at Shrovetide! Tradition requires them to go out in a smart way "on people" in painted sleighs, pay visits to everyone who walked at their wedding, so that they solemnly roll down the icy mountain with songs. However, the most important event associated with the newlyweds was the visit of the mother-in-law by the sons-in-law, for whom she baked pancakes and arranged a real feast (if, of course, the son-in-law was to her liking). In some places, "mother-in-law pancakes" took place for gourmets, that is, on Wednesday during Shrovetide week, but could coincide with Friday. If on Wednesday the sons-in-law were visiting their mother-in-law, then on Friday the sons-in-law organized “mother-in-law evenings” and invited them to pancakes. An ex-boyfriend usually showed up, playing the same role as at the wedding, and receiving a gift for his troubles. The invited mother-in-law (there was such a custom) was obliged to send in the evening everything necessary for baking pancakes: a frying pan, a ladle, etc., and the father-in-law sent a bag of buckwheat groats and cow butter. The son-in-law's disrespect for this event was considered dishonor and insult, and was the reason for eternal enmity between him and his mother-in-law

Saturday - sister-in-law's gatherings. The sister-in-law is the husband's sister. So, on this Saturday, young daughters-in-law received their relatives and gave them gifts. Everything is obvious, on this "Fatty Shrovetide" every day of this generous week was accompanied by a special feast.

The last day of Maslenitsa week was called “Forgiveness Sunday”: relatives and friends did not go to celebrate each other, but with “obedience”, asked for forgiveness for intentional and accidental offenses and griefs caused in the current year. When meeting sometimes “even with a stranger,” it was necessary to stop and with three bows and “tearful words” ask for mutual forgiveness: “Forgive me for what I am guilty of or have sinned in front of you”. “May God forgive you, and I forgive,” the interlocutor answered, after which it was necessary to kiss as a sign of reconciliation. The festivities ended, fires were made on the ice slides to melt the ice and drive away the cold. On this day of final farewell to winter, an effigy of Maslenitsa was burned, and the ashes were scattered across the fields so that there was a good harvest.

1.3. The impact of Maslenitsa on modern Russian society

Everyone knows that a holiday creates a sense of community, which is facilitated by various ceremonies, holiday rites, in which words, music, movement, light, color, artistically embody the idea, all this creates a special atmosphere. Its participants experience a feeling of "cleansing the soul", therefore, the peculiarity of the festive culture is manifested not only in the pragmatic side, but also in the spiritual side.

Paganism, as the first religion of the Slavs, gave the Russians Maslenitsa, magnificent wedding ceremonies and Christmas fortune-telling. Weddings were played in the fall or winter, in the intervals between long fasts. The most popular was the so-called "wedding" - the period from Christmas to Maslenitsa.

Modern wedding customs have transformed somewhat over time, but have not changed ruinously. Many Russian weddings take place during this period - from Christmas to Maslenitsa.

A peculiar symbol of Shrovetide is a golden, round and hot pancake, which symbolizes happiness, fun, hope, light and faith in the future. It is a traditional dish of Shrovetide Week. Now more and more Russians treat their loved ones and guests with delicious pancakes.

The influence of Shrovetide is reflected in works of art of various kinds, such as literature, music, drawing, films, etc. For example, the famous Russian film "The Barber of Siberia" is popular throughout Russia, in which director Nikita Mikhalkov recreated the full Maslenitsa with the help of the presentation of the traditions and customs of Maslenitsa.

Modern Russians love Shrovetide for the mood that it gives and do not think about what this holiday gives, why it has survived to this day. The fact is that Maslenitsa combines not only the tradition of seeing off winter and welcoming spring, but also serves as a factor in strengthening the family and reconciling all relatives.

Shrovetide contributes to the modern Russian society to stability, prosperity and energy.

Chapter 2 Traits of the Russian national character through the prism of Maslenitsa

The Russian national character, its uniqueness and incomprehensibility, has long awakened among scientists the keenest interest and desire to understand, explain one or another of its characteristic features, to find the roots of the tragic circumstances accompanying the history of Russia. However, it seems that the Russian people still cannot understand themselves, explain or at least justify their behavior in a given situation.

Today the Russian people are experiencing a turning point in their history. One of the irreparable losses that befell Russia in the 20th century is associated with the decline of national identity and the loss of age-old spiritual values. The awakening of Russia, of course, must begin with the spiritual revival of its people, i.e. with the attempt of the Russian people to understand themselves, to resurrect their best qualities and eradicate their shortcomings.

In the process of studying the traits of the Russian national character, we notice that such traits as religiosity, belligerence, hospitality, and collegiality always occupy an absolutely important place in the history of Russia. In the future, we completely represent these four main features of the Russian national character through the prism of the Maslenitsa holiday.

2.1. Religiosity

Religion is a special form of awareness of the world, conditioned by belief in the supernatural, which includes a set of moral norms and types of behavior, rituals, cult actions and the unification of people in an organization. She, too, is the prevailing worldview in most countries of the world; the majority of those surveyed consider themselves to be one of the religions.

The religious system of representing the world is based on religious faith and is associated with a person's relationship to the superhuman spiritual world, a kind of superhuman reality about which a person knows something, and to which he must orient his life in some way. Faith can be reinforced by mystical experience.

The foundations of the religious concepts of most world religions are written by people in sacred texts, which, according to believers, are either dictated by the gods, or written by people who have reached the highest spiritual state from the point of view of each specific religion, great teachers, especially enlightened or dedicated, saints, etc. ...

ON. Berdyaev notes that the Russian people are religious in their type and in their spiritual structure. Slavic paganism is a fragment of the ancient Indo-European religion that developed independently in the first millennium of the Russian era, represented in ancient Indian and Roman texts. The main features of Slavic paganism as a worldview are the spiritualization of nature, the cult of ancestors and supernatural forces, the belief in their constant presence and participation in human life, developed lower mythology, belief in the possibility of influencing the state of affairs in the world by means of primitive magic, anthropocentrism. Under Vladimir Svyatoslavich in 988, Christianity became the state religion in Ancient Rus. The adoption of Christianity as a state religion inevitably entailed the elimination of pagan cults, which had previously enjoyed the grand ducal patronage. But the clergy condemned pagan rites and festivals (some of them persisted for a long time due to what some researchers qualify as religious syncretism or dual faith).

The ritual side of Maslenitsa is very complex and multi-component, combining elements of both Slavic mythology and folk Christianity. It includes rituals related to the cult of ancestors, and to the turning point - the beginning of a new cycle, and to the stimulation of fertility.

Soviet folklorist V.Ya. Propp, developing the ideas of W. Vannhardt and J. Fraser, considered the main goal of the Maslenitsa rituals to stimulate fertility, which is especially relevant in connection with the upcoming start of field work.

The personification of the holiday is the effigy of Maslenitsa, which is an echo of an archaic dying and resurrecting deity. An effigy of Maslenitsa was presented, according to V.Ya. Propp, the focus of fertility and fertility, and the rituals of his seeing off were supposed to communicate this fertility to the earth: as you know. Ashes from a scarecrow, or a torn scarecrow, were scattered across the fields.

For the peasant, the fertility of the land was extremely important, so he tried to influence him in this way. This was especially important in the spring, when the earth will soon awaken from its winter sleep and begin to bear fruit. The function of stimulating fertility is the burning of old and dried up fertility, death for future birth, an impetus for a new revival of fertile forces. Many rituals of Maslenitsa, such as "tselovnik" (forgiven day), reviews of newlyweds, their guesting, skiing from the mountains and sledding, comic pursuit of single men, are associated with newlyweds and unmarried youth. By this, the society showed the exceptional importance of marriage for the reproduction of the population, and therefore honored young people of reproductive age. The fertility of people in the popular mind was inextricably linked with the fertility of the land and the fertility of livestock.

The third side of Maslenitsa is connected with the stimulation of fertility - the memorial. The ancestors of the marching, according to the ideas of the peasants, were simultaneously in the other world and in the land, which means they could influence its fertility. Therefore, it was extremely important not to anger the ancestors and honor them with your attention. For this, in Maslenitsa there is a wide layer of memorial rituals: elements of funeral feast (fist fights, horse races, etc.), sometimes - visiting cemeteries, always - plentiful meals (initially memorial), which necessarily included pancakes, which have become the main attribute of Maslenitsa in the modern mass consciousness ...

According to the modern Russian folklorist A.B. Moroz, claims that Maslenitsa is its own pagan holiday. Shrovetide rituals rethink what the Church offers. In particular, fasting in traditional culture is understood primarily as food restrictions; therefore, before starting the fast, it is necessary to eat as much as possible. The main feature in which the pagan essence of Shrovetide is usually seen is the manufacture and burning of a stuffed animal. But in reality, this scarecrow was never considered a semblance of an idol, and the rite itself, apparently, has game roots.

All the evidence proves that some of the rites are pagan, and many come from the Orthodox. This phenomenon is called dual faith. The concept of dual faith, often used in relation to the traditional culture of the Slavs. For the bearers of the tradition, the system of beliefs was unified and organically combined the worship of Christian God and the forces of nature and powerful ancestors.

Dual faith reflects the features of Russians in the rituals of the holidays. Shrovetide not only has pagan rituals, but also has Orthodox rites. Thus, we can see that Russian writers and philosophers, analyzing the traits of the Russian character arising from the basis of Russian culture - Orthodoxy and Paganism, note their duality and contradiction: on the one hand, height, spirituality, craving for justice, and on the other - laziness, inactivity, irresponsibility.

It should be noted that it was Orthodoxy that organically lay on those character traits that are "innate, genital" inherent in the Eastern Slavs: "openness, straightforwardness, natural ease, simplicity in behavior (up to a fair amount of simplicity)" the ease of human relations ("strangers in a minute meeting can feel close" - G. Fedotov); responsiveness, the ability to understand everything; breadth of character, scope of decisions (" than live with crying, so die with songs»).

According to N. Lossky, all social (both the upper and lower) strata of Russia adopted Christianity to such an extent that the ideal of the people was not the mighty, not the rich, but “Holy Russia”. S.L. Frank writes that the Russian spirit is permeated with religiosity.

On the other hand, according to the historian and philosopher L.P. Karsavin, an essential aspect of the Russian spirit is religiosity, Russian Orthodoxy has a serious drawback - its passivity, inaction. Solzhenitsyn himself notes that confidence in the future deification provides for the present. If the Russian doubts the absolute ideal, then he can reach the extreme bestiality or indifference to everything. Uniform methodology, perseverance, internal discipline - most painfully lacking in the Russian character, this may be the main vice of the Russian people.

Among the shortcomings of the Russian character, which are the reverse side of its merits, A. Solzhenitsyn listed: the well-known Russian patience, supported by bodily and spiritual endurance; undeveloped sense of justice, replaced by a craving for living justice; the age-old alienation of the Russian people from politics and social activities; lack of desire for power: the Russian person shunned power and despised it as a source of inevitable impurity, temptations and sins; in contrast to this - the thirst for strong and righteous actions of the ruler, the thirst for a miracle; hence - a destructively small ability to unite forces, to self-organization.

2.2. Militancy

Fist fights were held in winter during Christmas time on Maslenitsa and sometimes on Semik. At the same time, preference was given to Maslenitsa, the wild nature of which made it possible for the male part of the village to show their daring and youth in front of everyone. The teams were formed on the basis of the social or territorial community of the participants.

Two villages could fight each other, residents of opposite ends of one large village, monastery peasants with landowners, etc. Fistfights were prepared in advance: the teams jointly chose a place for the battle, agreed on the rules of the game and the number of participants, and elected chieftains.

In addition, the moral and physical training of the fighters was necessary. Men and boys steamed in the baths, tried to eat more meat and bread, which, according to legend, gave strength and courage. Some of the participants resorted to various kinds of magical techniques to increase their fighting courage and power.

So, for example, one of the old Russian medical books contains the following advice: “ Kill the black snake with a saber or a knife, and take out the tongue from it, and screw it into the green and black taffeta, and put it in the boot on the left, and put your shoes in the same place. Walking away, don't look back, and who asks where you were, don't say anything to him».

Fist fights in Russia could take place not only with fists, but also with sticks, while fist fighting was more often chosen. The soldiers were supposed to have special uniforms: thick, tow-hemmed checkers and fur mittens, which softened the blow. Fighting could be carried out in two versions: "wall to wall" and "clutch-dump".

In a wall-to-wall battle, the fighters, lining up in one row, had to keep him under the pressure of the enemy's “wall”. It was a battle in which various tactical military techniques were used. The fighters held the front, walked like a wedge - "pig", changed fighters of the first, second, third row, retreated into an ambush, etc. The battle ended with the breakthrough of the "wall", the enemy and the flight of the enemies. It is generally accepted that this type of fist fight took shape no earlier than the 18th century.

During the battle "clump-dump", each chose an opponent according to his strength and did not retreat until complete victory, after which he "grappled" into battle with the other. The Russian fist fight, in contrast to the fight, was carried out in compliance with certain rules, which included the following: "do not hit a lying person", "do not fight like a cripple", "do not hit a smear", that is, if the enemy has blood, finish him fight. It was impossible to strike from behind, from the rear, but to fight only face to face.

An important point of the fist fight was the fact that its participants always belonged to the same age group. The battle was usually started by teenagers, they were replaced on the field by guys, and then young married men - “strong fighters” - entered the battle.

This arrangement maintained equality of arms. The battle began with the passage of the main fighters, that is, guys and men, surrounded by teenagers along the village street to the chosen place of the battle. On the field, the guys became two "walls" - teams against each other, demonstrating their strength in front of the enemy, slightly bullying him, taking belligerent postures, encouraging themselves with appropriate shouts.

At this time, in the middle of the field, teenagers were arranging a "junkyard-dump", preparing for future battles. Then the cry of the chieftain was heard, followed by a general roar, whistle, shout: "Give me a fight," and the battle began. The most powerful fighters joined the battle at the very end.

The old men who watched the fistfights discussed the actions of the young, gave advice to those who had not yet entered the battle. The battle ended with the flight of the enemy from the field and the general merry drinking of the guys and men who participated in it. Fist fights have accompanied Russian festivities for many centuries.

A detailed description of the battles of the "good fellows of fist fighters" was given by foreigners who visited Muscovy in the 16th-17th centuries. Fist fights educated men in endurance, the ability to withstand blows, stamina, agility and courage. Participation in them was considered a matter of honor for every guy and young man.

The feats of the fighters were praised at men's revels. Passed by word of mouth, found their reflection in remote songs, epics:

Yes, they came together with spears—

Only the spears, you in the rings were knocked off.

Yes, the heroes gathered with sticks—

Only the sticks turned away from the chipped bumps.

They jumped off their good horses,

Yes, they grabbed hand-to-hand combat.

The Russian people are initially and historically militant! This is where the rebellious spirit, vengefulness, thirst to fight until victory originates! The most famous robbers and the best warriors belonged to the Russian people. Even now, the words "Russian mafia" or "Russian army" cause unpleasant sensations in the fifth point for all Russian enemies.

The entire history of the Russian people is saturated with military valor. Regardless of the profession, all men and many women mastered the art of war. And all the main Russian gods were warriors, in addition to their direct duties. What can we say about dances, songs, games and tales. For example, with the word round dance, a person represents girls and boys who dance in bast shoes around a birch to mournful songs. But in fact, there were also military dances. Purely male, when the hands are on the shoulders, and the roar from the powerful throats reaches the heavens.

The fame of the military valor of Russian ancestors resounded not only throughout Europe. Many ancient historians reported on the glory and power of the Russian people. All huge Russian territories were captured and held in wars. And Russian ancestors were all wars, this is evident from traditions, customs and history.

The fact is that the severity of the climate and the location of the land were strongly reflected in the character of the Russian people. Severe winters, lasting up to six months, have formed in the Russian people tremendous willpower, perseverance in the struggle for survival in a cold climate. Long winters have made Russians patient and melancholy. They gained the ability to sharply mobilize forces, due to the need for emergency work in the summer months. The climate and adversity made the Russian person prudent and pragmatic, but at the same time able to act "headlong", because even a sound calculation was not always able to protect from the whims of nature. Also, in the harsh climate, the Russians simply needed community and a sense of community. The vast spaces gave the Russian people breadth of soul, liberty and striving for freedom.

The very need to defend their vast and tasty territories for other territories contributed to the military spirit.

2.3. Hospitality

Hospitality is a universal tradition of everyday life culture, which prescribes the obligation of cordiality and care for the guest. It has always been a characteristic feature of the Russian character. According to A. Padchin, “For the ancient Slavs, a guest was sacred, to offend a guest meant to offend the entire tribe. In the Slavic lands, there were practically no robbers, and among the Slavs there was theft, but if, due to poverty, a person could not well receive a guest, then he could even go for theft. The mores of our ancestors allowed this. "

In the minds of Russians, the word "guest" always evokes feelings of "happiness" and "joy": Guest to Guest— joy to the owner. Guest on the doorstep - happiness to the house... When the guests arrived, the Russians were happy immediately. For a good guest and the gate is wide open... And everything is ready for the guest in the house: the attention of the owners, and care, and the best place, and the best treat from the heart. The statement of one foreign tourist about Russia: "Guests come to Russia with one suitcase, and leave with two and with many plastic bags with zucchini, salad, jam, books and souvenirs." They call it "Russian hospitality."

In the word hospitality in the foreground is a person's readiness to let a stranger into his house or even to provide him with shelter. For a hospitable person, his home is not a fortress, but a place where he is happy to invite guests. And a guest for him is a joy in any situation: "Although he is not rich, he is glad to have guests."

The third day of Maslenitsa—« gourmet» ... The Russian people had such songs that are dedicated to the third day of Maslenitsa.

Aunt Barbara,

my mother sent me:

Give me pans and a frying pan,

torment and grease.

The water is in the oven, wants the oven pancakes.

Where are the pancakes, here we are.

On this day, people feasted on pancakes and other Shrovetide dishes. Pancakes were baked with an infinite variety: wheat, barley, oatmeal, buckwheat, from unleavened and sour dough. Mother-in-law invited their sons-in-law to pancakes for the "gourmet", and all their relatives were summoned for the fun of their beloved son-in-law.

Russians are distinguished by the fact that they love not only to receive guests, but also to visit. Therefore, n Day of Maslenitsa - mother-in-law's evening—guest day. They said: “ Though the mother-in-law's pancakes are sweet, but the mother-in-law is treated to the Butter son-in-law».

On mother-in-law's evenings, sons-in-law treat their mother-in-law to pancakes. There are honorable invitations, with all relatives for dinner, or simply for one dinner. In the old days, the son-in-law was obliged to personally invite the mother-in-law in the evening, and then in the morning he would send smartly invited people. The more there were called, the more honors the mother-in-law was.

The girls brought out pancakes at noon in a bowl on their heads. They walked towards the rolling slide. The guy who liked the girl was in a hurry to taste the blink, to recognize: will a good mistress come out of her? After all, she stood at the stove this morning, she created pancakes.

Shrovetide is not complete without delicious dishes on the Russian table. Yes, and you need to call for a visit.

The sixth day of Maslenitsa—sister-in-law gatherings. Shrovetide is already old. Finally, her farewell was noted. The young daughter-in-law invited her relatives to her sister-in-law's gatherings. If the sisters-in-law were still girls, then the daughter-in-law called her old girlfriends-girls, if they were married off, then she invited the married relatives and, with the whole train, carried the guests to the sisters-in-law. The newlywed daughter-in-law was obliged to present her sister-in-law with gifts. Shrovetide was, as it were, an excuse to get together, to gossip about this and that.

This clearly and clearly shows Russian hospitality.

2.4. Collegiality

Sobornost is a concept with a bright Russian taste, introduced by the Russian philosopher A.S. Khomyakov, developed in the XIX by the Slavophiles, originally deduced from the principle of the canonicity of the Church. Subsequently, it began to be interpreted much broader, covering the entire way of life, a complex of moral and ethical norms within the community. These norms unconditionally condemn individualism, the desire of an individual to oppose himself to the community of "co-religionists." Conciliarism rejects such a concept as personal "happiness", arguing that "it is impossible to be happy alone."

At the end of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th centuries, the concept of collegiality was adopted and developed by Russian religious philosophy. And today it covered all spheres of the life of the people's organism, becoming one of the components of the definition of the concept of nationality, which "is the conciliarity of the clan, language and life of the country (fatherland, homeland), bound by faith, enlightenment and expediency predetermined by the Lord God."

Two Shrovetide customs, including fistfights and the capture of a snow town, fully express the conciliarity of the Russians. Such dangerous entertainments include the famous all of them on Shrovetide.

There are two types of fist fights. In the first case, two opponents fought, and in the second, they went wall to wall, not making out in the heat of the battle who was theirs and who was alien. This massacre helped to relieve tension and let off steam. The men, flushed with alcohol and high-calorie foods, beat each other to death.

Taking a snowy town is a favorite fun of Siberians. This is, so to speak, the "visiting card" of the Siberian Maslenitsa. Although in the 19th century it was also known in the Tula, Penza, Simbirsk provinces, and in two versions - for children and adults, nowhere did it reach the scale and scope that was inherent in the “capture of a snow town” in Siberia. But in the southern regions of Russia, where there was no snow and ice, there was a variant of the Shrovetide game “capture of the city”. Under the "city" here was meant a company of girls who were defending themselves from guys and young men.

As it is correct, not only fist fights, but also the capture of a snow town are going between two villages or villages. The reason is that it was the harsh climatic conditions and the requirement to protect from enemies that made it necessary to live and work together. Therefore, for centuries, Russian peasants, who constituted the overwhelming majority of the population of Russia until the beginning of the 20th century, lived in communities, which then were the basis of the molecule of social life. The community is the keeper of the main models and values ​​of this life and the main mechanism for instilling these models and values ​​in its members.

In general, "in Russia, as President V. Putin emphasizes, the action of the collective is always more important than the individual, it is a fact."

Conclusion

National character is an abstract generalization of all the properties of a people who have a common tradition and culture; it is one of the most difficult, but also the main problems in the study of the mutual influence of cultures. At the present time, when humanity is entering the era of the "global village", the world civilization will mutually merge into one. National character, as a window to the history and life of a given nation, occupies a very important place in intercultural communication.

The character traits of a people are reflected in their national holidays celebrated by that people. Because in society, holidays are the most vital and imaginative part. Shrovetide, as the most popular, wide and merry national holiday in Russia, can reflect the traits of the Russian national character through its unique customs, rituals and traditions.

In this thesis, on the basis of the customs, rituals, traditions of Maslenitsa, the main features of the Russian national character are analyzed: religiosity, belligerence, hospitality and collegiality. In particular, dual faith as a part of religiosity vividly reflects the mutual influence and connection between paganism and Orthodoxy. It should be noted that for the wide and mysterious Russian people, of course, this is not all. The main and important features of the Russian national character are completely reflected through the Maslenitsa holiday. Still other important Russian national holidays can reveal other traits of the Russian national character. We only want our humble initiative to find more worthy successors.

All nations are equal bearers of universal human values. Each national soul has its own powerful and its own weaknesses, its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is necessary to mutually understand the difference in the soul of the people, to love the qualities of the souls of the people and to be condescending to their shortcomings. Thus, it will be possible to realize truly peaceful coexistence between different peoples in the world.

There are not many pagan holidays that have survived in modern Russia. Shrovetide is one of them and is celebrated in the week before the beginning of Lent. It begins on Sunday, which is popularly called "meat spell", because it was on this day that one could eat meat for the last time before fasting. Therefore, all families tried to get together to arrange lavish festivities. The holiday was called by many "perebuha", "oveduha", "merry", "Wide Maslenitsa" (after all, no one left the celebration hungry, and the hostesses tried to bake as many pancakes as possible).

The history of Maslenitsa

The main inner essence of Shrovetide is to prepare mentally for the beginning of a long and difficult Great Lent for most. This is a holiday of delicious and hearty food, when no one deny himself the desire to enjoy their favorite dishes.

It is interesting that in the days of the pagans it was the holiday of the spring solstice, when all people celebrated the New Year. The celebration lasted all week, and its program was very eventful. The name of the holiday was given much later, when the tradition arose that week to bake pancakes and it was already forbidden to eat meat. Pancakes were still baked by pagans, because in shape they resemble the sun.

Of course, during the existence of the holiday, many unpleasant situations occurred when such festivities were attacked and even once were completely prohibited. This change was made by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who was very worried that during the celebration many men received serious injuries. Although no one began to carry out these royal decrees, annually repeating all the customs of Maslenitsa.

But Catherine II and Peter I themselves were very fond of such festivities, when they could also ride a sleigh, go down the hill and eat hot pancakes. During their reign, Shrovetide comedies, staged by peasants, were also quite often performed. The main plot was the grand celebration of Maslenitsa, as well as many real events that took place over the previous year.

Maslenitsa is the most beloved folk holiday in Russia

According to folk legends, people who celebrated Maslenitsa poorly the whole next year lived poorly. That is why each family tried to prepare as many hearty dishes as possible, to invite guests, arranging a truly grand celebration. Often such feasts ended in the morning with dances and songs. And to this day, many are convinced that Maslenitsa should turn into unrestrained fun, when tables are bursting with food and everyone is happy with the arrival of spring.

Of course, Shrovetide is not only a lot of delicious food and drinks. It's a whole week of fun, dancing, horseback riding and sledding. It is a national holiday, because this week everyone is having fun, walking, singing and meeting guests. Every day turned into a real feast, as each hostess tried to prepare as many dishes as possible and bake pancakes. At this time, no one thought about work or household chores, because everyone enjoyed the stormy fun, and unmarried girls wondered about their betrothed. During joint skating, each of them tried to attract the attention of the guys and their parents, since in those days the choice of the future chosen one or the chosen one largely depended on the decision of the father and mother.

Also, on Maslenitsa, they did not forget about the newlyweds who got married last year. According to folk customs, they were rolled in the snow, rolled down the mountains, and relatives and friends came to visit almost every day. On the last day of the celebration, which is also called "Forgiveness Sunday", everyone asked for forgiveness from each other, and also forgave the offenses received from enemies or acquaintances.

Pancakes: where the tradition of baking pancakes came from

Pancakes are loved by children and adults, they are eaten not only during Shrovetide, but this very week this dish has a special knowledge. At all times, housewives competed in the preparation of pancakes, because each of them had its own recipe. It was kept and passed on from generation to generation. Most often, wheat, oat and corn flour, pieces of pumpkin and apples, and plums were used to prepare this main holiday dish. Originally, the round shape of the pancakes was chosen by the pagans in order to attract spring and please the god Yarilo. It was he who was one of the most revered in their religion.

The first ready-made pancake was always given to the poor, since it was baked in memory of all the dead. Pancakes were eaten all day and were often combined with other dishes. They were served with sour cream, jam or eggs, and wealthy families could afford pancakes with caviar.

According to custom, pancakes were baked every day, since they were the main decoration of the festive table. Together with pancakes, the hostesses also prepared honey sbitni and gingerbread, brewed beer and brewed aromatic tea. The samovar has always remained hot, since this week it was customary to organize not only a family feast, but also often invite guests and participate in public festivities.

The construction of the Maslenitsa effigy, Parsley and buffoons

During the festivities, men often staged amusing fights, and women and children erected a Shrovetide stuffed animal from straw. Many families even took him on a sleigh ride, singing and dancing along the way. The scarecrow was dressed in old women's outfits, had fun with it, and after the celebration was over, they burned it at the stake, which symbolized the departure of winter.

Burning a scarecrow and most other traditions of Maslenitsa are aimed at quickly driving away the winter and meeting the long-awaited spring. This can also be said about the performances organized by the buffoons on the second day of the celebration. Of course, each of them tried to make the audience laugh, but Petrushka did the best. He was the protagonist of puppet theaters all over the country, loved by both adults and children. Many passers-by took part in such performances, and some families held small comedy concerts at their homes.

Together with the buffoons, one could often see trained bears in the streets. The animals tried to show girls who paint in front of a mirror or bake the main treat of Shrovetide - pancakes. In some cities of Russia, this tradition has been preserved to this day.