Shrovetide: history of the holiday, traditions and customs. Shrovetide festivities and fun

Shrovetide is an ancient Slavic holiday with mass celebrations throughout the whole week. This holiday is very much loved in Russia, and it is he who symbolizes the farewell to winter. After it, spring begins and Great Lent before Easter.

How is Maslenitsa celebrated? Russia has always been associated with the "broad Russian soul", and celebrations of any celebration are always long and cheerful. No wonder the saying arose -

"Take a walk, soul, wide open!".

It is Maslenitsa that fully characterizes the respect for traditions and the attitude of the Russian people to the holidays. There is no clear date for Maslenitsa. It is usually held at the end of February, less often at the beginning of March (at late Easter). But this holiday always begins on Monday.

Shrovetide not only sees off the winter, but is also the last “satisfying” week before Orthodox Christians start fasting. After all, Great Lent is the strictest fast before the Bright holiday - Easter, therefore the church allows take a walk and eat plenty of meat and cheese during this holiday.

Every day of Shrovetide has its own name and clear meaning. In addition, during the Maslenitsa week, certain rituals and actions are performed, which are also tied to certain days.

clothing also has its purpose in the holiday. Most people even make Maslenitsa costumes! For women, an obligatory attribute is a down or painted scarf, for men - a fur vest and a flower or ribbon on the hat.

The main attributes of Shrovetide are bagels, a samovar and a team of horses. Not a single Maslenitsa could do without sleigh rides decorated with bells, ribbons and painted arcs. They even decorate horses - they put the best harness on them, hang bright pom-poms and always bells.

And the main heroine of the holiday is stuffed carnival. It symbolizes winter, which needs to be burned so that spring comes faster! They burn not only the winter doll, but also old unnecessary things for the renewal of not only nature, but also oneself. They also threw pancakes to commemorate deceased relatives.

But it will not do without a hero either - wake the bear on Shrovetide means to awaken spring! All comers change into a bear costume or put on an inverted sheepskin coat and dance around it. At this time, the mummer imitates the awakening of the bear and dances.

And here the main symbol for Shrovetide is - pancake, which is endowed with a special meaning. Round, ruddy with butter and sour cream, it symbolizes the sun. And the tastier it is, the more fertile the harvest will be in the year! The more you bake pancakes and treat people with them, the richer the year will be. In order to “butter up” the sun, pancakes were baked according to different recipes and with many fillings.

But the circle is of particular importance on Shrovetide! First of all, he talks about the circular change of seasons and that spring will definitely come after winter. The circle is also a symbol of the sun, which our ancestors still worshiped as a deity. After all, the bright and warm sun will give life to the plants and will delight the people! Pancakes and bagels are also baked in the shape of a circle. And it is not in vain that they lead round dances on a holiday - after all, he is also a circle!

A circle or a wheel is always decorated with bright ribbons for Shrovetide. It is carried on a pole along with a stuffed carnival all week and even fortune-telling on it. They set the wheel on fire and roll it along the road - whoever has it rolling faster and more smoothly will have a lucky year.

The wheel is also peculiar attraction for Shrovetide... It is installed on the highest pillar, decorated with ribbons and tied up with gifts. Whoever can climb it will become the owner of the coveted prize.

But most interesting on Shrovetide is mass festivities, which determine the "spirit" of the Russian people!

First of all, it is a large fair where handicrafts are sold or exchanged - from whistles to hand-tied down shawls.

The celebration is not complete without dances and songs to the accordion! What a holiday without fun. And definitely on Shrovetide - a lot of noise - you need to scare the winter so that it would go away sooner!

Ice slides and playing snowballs - for the last time in winter, will add a special experience to Shrovetide.

What men especially like on this holiday is fist fights... They are arranged in the form - "wall to wall". In this kind of entertainment, you can not only "hone" your skills, but also "let off steam", as well as all the frustrations that have accumulated over the long winter!

Shrovetide is not only festivities and pancakes, it is a time that allows people to get to know each other better, communicate with their families, and most importantly - forgive all insults and make peace to those who were in the litter.

Happy and hearty holiday!

The history of Shrovetide is rooted deep in antiquity. Shrovetide is an ancient Slavic holiday that we inherited from pagan culture, preserved even after the adoption of Christianity. It is believed that initially it was associated with the day of the spring solstice, but with the adoption of Christianity, it began to precede Great Lent and depend on its timing.

In ancient times, the New Year (agricultural) began with the spring equinox - the night of March 21-22. It was to this time that the rituals of Maslenitsa were timed - "the only major pre-Christian holiday that was not timed to coincide with a Christian holiday and did not receive a new interpretation." The antiquity of the Maslenitsa rituals is confirmed by the fact that this holiday (in one form or another) has survived among many Indo-European peoples.

So, in Switzerland Maslenitsa is associated with dressing up. These are, first of all, frightening masks, the origin of which was associated with ancient beliefs. These include "smoke", "motley", "shaggy", or "coming out of the chimney" (according to beliefs, spirits penetrated through the chimney). For the holiday, painted wooden masks were made with bared teeth and scraps of wool and fur, which made an eerie impression. The appearance of the mummers on the street was preceded by the ringing of bells hanging from their belts. The mummers were holding long sticks with attached bags of ash and soot. The sounds they made were like roars, growls, or grunts. According to the Swiss ethnographers R. Weiss, K. Hansemann and K. Meili, these masks served in ancient times as the embodiment of the dead, were associated with the cult of ancestors and belonged to male unions. The mummers smeared the oncoming ones with soot or doused them with water - actions associated in the past with the magic of fertility.

In Poland, the mummers dressed in inverted casings, and took "turonya" and "goat" around the courtyards. They also smeared soot on their faces.

Maslenitsa processions of mummers were common in Czechoslovakia. In Slovakia, this procession was led by the Turon. The mummers smeared the passers-by with soot and sprinkled them with ashes.

In Yugoslavia, mummers dressed in sheepskin clothes, with fur outside, "decorated" with thorny branches, animal tails, bells. Masks were made of leather, wood, and even metal. Among zoomorphic masks, masks with horns are especially widespread. Moreover, masks and bells were inherited from father to son.

In the Netherlands, on Shrovetide, farmers collect unbroken horses. They are carefully cleaned, and bright paper flowers are woven into their manes and tails. Then the participants of the holiday get on the horses and gallop to the seashore, and the horse must soak his feet.

In Germany, mummers and girls harnessed to the plow and walked with him through all the alleys of the city. In Munich, when transferring butcher students to apprentices on Oil Monday, the students were dressed in sheep's fur trimmed with calf tails. They tried to spray everyone around with water from the fountain. The former meaning of these actions is a fertility spell. The number of oil mummers often included a married couple or a groom and a bride, and earlier elements of the wedding ceremony were also included. (Celibacy among the people was often perceived as a vice that could affect the fertility of the soil). In the oil dances of the Luzhich people, it was believed that one must dance briskly, jump high, so that the flax was born high. In Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, after an oil supper, when the whole family got together, they hung a boiled egg over the table on a string and swayed it in a circle: each of those present tried to touch it with their lips or teeth. It was believed that this "custom contributed to a good harvest, an increase in the number of livestock and poultry. In Slovenia, on Shrovetide, everyone, young and old, had to dance and jump in order for the turnip to grow well, and the higher the dancers jump, the more abundant the harvest was. For the same purpose, the mummers danced and jumped in. It was believed that swinging on a swing, on ropes woven from plants, or directly on the branches of trees, also contributes to the fertility of the earth, the health of people and the fight against evil forces.

In a number of places in Slovenia, dishes that were in use on the last day of Maslenitsa were not washed, but during sowing they sown from them - they believed that this would bring a rich harvest. And, finally, in Bulgaria during the cheese week they swayed on a swing, which, according to belief, brought health. Throughout the whole cheesy week, the boys and girls went out of the village in the dark, sat down on some level place, facing the east, and sang songs. Then they danced around and continued to sing songs of love. The folk explanation for the custom is "for fertility and health."

All these facts indicate that Maslenitsa, as a holiday of the beginning of the year - spring, took shape back in the common Indo-European period, no later than the turn of the 4th - 3rd millennium BC. This is evidenced not only by the traditions of European peoples, preserved up to the present day, but also by the traditions of India, which came from ancient times.

In ancient Indian rituals, many elements of Maslenitsa (and subsequent Easter) are traced in one of the brightest holidays on the border of winter and spring - Holi, which was celebrated in February-March (the end of the cold season). NR Guseva emphasizes that "all the ritual actions of the holiday are inseparable from the magic of fertility and historically go back to the pre-Indian period of the life of the Aryans. passed into the Easter rituals of the Slavic peoples. " As an example of such common rituals of Easter and Holi, NR Guseva cites the custom of dyeing eggs in the red color of the Slavs and pouring paint over each other from the Indians. Moreover: "for both those and others, red is necessarily used as the color of reproduction of people and animals, and this serves as one of the clearest remnants of the magic of fertility." In addition to Easter elements, the Indian holiday of Holi contains a large number of ritual actions typical of the East Slavic Maslenitsa. This is a number of behavioral manifestations that, apparently, developed in the deepest antiquity: singing obscene songs of erotic content, performing fertility dances, drinking alcoholic beverages, preparing ritual food from dough and cottage cheese. In India, during the Holi holiday, the Holiki effigy, which is made of straw, is necessarily burned. For the fire, they collect brushwood, straw, old things, cow dung. The fire is set on fire with the fire that everyone brings from the house, and everyone dances around it.

But, according to Russian tradition, on Shrovetide it was allowed to sing obscene songs full of erotic allusions. VK Sokolova writes: “on the farewell to Maslenitsa on the Tavda River, the main managers stripped naked and pretended to wash in a bath. In the Ishim district 60 years ago there was a“ Maslenitsa king ”who made“ speeches in Adam’s costume. ”It is interesting to note that they were exposed even in severe frosts, and this was done not by boys, not inveterate mischievous people, but elderly respected people. " In the Russian North, on Maslenitsa, as in India during the Holi holiday, bonfires were burned. Moreover, the material for the fire was hay, straw, old things. In the Belozersk district of the Novgorod province, the girls tried to get hay and straw secretly, stealing from their neighbors. Here they did not add cow dung to the fire, but they smeared it on the bottom of the baskets and the lower part of the wooden blocks, on which they rolled down the icy mountains. The Maslenitsa effigy, like Holiki, was made of straw and burned. In the Vologda province, such a rite was common in the Kadnikovsky, Vologda, Kubensky and Nikolsky districts. On Maslenitsa, mummers in the Vologda province often poured ashes and ashes on the floor of the hut and danced on them, and also smeared with soot and sprinkled ashes and ashes on all participants in the ceremony. In the Indian tradition, there is a custom during Holi to take a handful of ash from a fire, sprinkle it on the floor in the house and throw pinches of ash at each other.

Ritual actions on Shrovetide in the Russian North were varied. So V.K.Sokolova, in connection with the wires of Maslenitsa, notes the following main points:

Lighting bonfires;
Seeing off - funeral;
Customs associated with newlyweds;
Horseback riding and from the icy mountains;
Festive meal - pancakes;
Remembrance of departed parents.

1. Lighting fires. Some reports say that the material for the fire had to be stolen. It is possible that this is a very ancient relic - to collect everything for the sacred fires in secret (this custom was observed when collecting materials for the Kupala bonfires of Ukrainians and Belarusians). The material for the fires was taken to a fallow field, to a hill, and a fire was lit at dusk. Under the influence of the custom of stealing material for a fire, they also began to steal logs for an ice slide - "coils". This was done in the village of Kokshenga, Nikolsky district, Vologda province.

2. Seeing off - funeral. Shrovetide is a holiday associated with the commemoration of the dead. The fistfights that are held on Shrovetide are also one of the elements of the memorial rite. Bonfires that are burned on Shrovetide (from straw and old things) were also in ancient times associated with the cult of ancestors, since it was believed that ritually a person must have died on straw. Among the characters of Shrovetide (as well as Christmastide) were necessarily: ancestors ("elders", "deceased"), strangers ("beggars"). They were the ones who "buried the dead", who was portrayed by one of the men. All the girls were forced to kiss him on the lips. This funeral service was very often expressed in the most sophisticated "square" swearing, which was ritual and, it was believed, contributed to fertility. The mummers dressed in tattered clothes, rags, tattered fur coats, attached humps ("elders"), covered themselves with a canopy ("horse"), smeared with coal and soot. Arriving at the hut, they danced in silence or imitated the howl, the sound of musical instruments in their voice. The mummers could ride around the village on a broomstick, on grips.

3. Customs associated with newlyweds. DK Zelenin believed that some elements of the Maslenitsa rituals "testify to the fact that once this holiday coincided with the end of the wedding period. punishment for those who failed to take advantage of the just ended wedding period. " He noted that Vyunishnik, that is, singing songs with congratulations to the newlyweds, in some places also falls on Shrovetide. One of the most common in the XIX - early XX century. customs - riding the newlyweds from the mountain on a sled "rolling". The skating of young people from the icy mountains has been especially stable in the Russian North (Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Olonets provinces). This skating was of particular importance here. The young woman, as a rule, having climbed the mountain, bowed low three times and, sitting on her husband's lap, kissed him. Rolling down the mountain, the young woman once again kissed her husband. It was believed that for the fertility of the young, it was necessary to plant directly on the snow, everyone who rolled down the mountain piled on them, they were buried in a snowdrift. In this ceremony, the newlyweds were clearly demonstrated the truth: "To live life is not a field to cross." In ancient times, skiing from the mountains was attributed to magical significance. Until the beginning of the 20th century, in many regions of Russia they continued to ride from the mountains on spinning wheels (or the bottoms of spinning wheels) "for long flax." So in the Kubensky district, married women rode from the mountains.

4. This circle of rituals also includes horse riding, which was decorated with ribbons, painted arcs, and expensive bells. Sleds were traditionally covered with sheepskin fur outside, which were also considered to stimulate fertility.

5. Festive meal - pancakes. VK Sokolova writes: "Some researchers saw in pancakes an echo of a solar cult - a sign of the reviving sun. But this opinion has no serious basis. Pancakes are indeed ritual food in origin, but they were not directly connected with Maslenitsa and with the sun, but with the cult of ancestors, which was part of the Shrovetide rite. " The Saturday before Maslenitsa was celebrated as parental. On this day, pancakes were baked (they began to bake). In some villages, the first pancake was put on the goddess - "parents", this pancake was smeared with honey, cow's butter and sprinkled with sugar. Sometimes the first pancake was carried to the churchyard and laid on the grave. It must be remembered that pancakes are an obligatory meal at funerals and at the commemoration of the souls of the dead. Moreover, pancakes became a sign of Maslenitsa only among Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians did not have such a thing. In connection with ritual pancakes, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the inhabitants of the mountains of Afghanistan - Kalash, who are considered the heirs of "the most ancient pre-Vedic ideology of the first Indo-European immigrants on the subcontinent", bake three cakes during the holiday "chaumos" (an analogue of the Russian Maslenitsa), intended for the souls of the dead. And here it is worth remembering the text of the Mahabharata, which tells the ancient myth of how the sacrifice to the ancestors appeared and why the ancestors are called "pinda", that is, cakes. This myth says that when "the land surrounded by the ocean once disappeared," the Creator raised it, taking the form of a boar-boar. (Remember that one of the Christian saints who replaced the ancient god Veles-Troyan was named Vasily and was the patron saint of pig breeding). So, having raised the primal matter from the depths of the cosmic ocean, the Creator saw that three clods of earth had adhered to his fangs. Of these, he made three cakes and said the following words:

"I am the creator of the world, I raised myself to produce ancestors.
Thinking about the supreme law of the sacrifice ritual, to the ancestors,
Taking out the ground, I dropped these cakes from my fangs to the south side,
Ancestors arose from them.
These three cakes are formless, may the eternal ancestors created by me in the world be formless.
Let them know me as a father, grandfather and great-grandfather,
Staying here in three cakes. Singer, such is his charter that ancestors are known as flat cakes.
And according to the word of the Creator, they constantly receive worship. "

6. Remembrance of departed parents. The preparation of ritual food - pancakes is directly related to the commemoration of deceased parents. Even P.V. In the 19th century, Shane emphasized that peasants believed that "the custom of baking pancakes is a reliable way of communication with the other world." This is an obligatory meal of funerals, commemorations, weddings, Christmastide and Shrovetide, that is, days, in one way or another, associated with the worship of ancestors. VK. Sokolova notes that: "In the first half of the 19th century, the custom of giving the first pancake to deceased parents or remembering them with pancakes, apparently, was widespread." Probably, here we have an echo of the ancient myth cited above, according to which the first ancestors arose from three lumps of earth, turned by the Creator into cakes. Thus, the first pancake, apparently, is a symbol of a lump of earth and great-grandfather, that is, the Creator or Santa Claus.

Therefore, ritual feeding with pancakes is the prerogative of Santa Claus and the days associated with his ritual worship. Since Maslenitsa was associated with the commemoration of deceased relatives and was characterized by the ritual atrocities of mummers, there is nothing surprising in the fact that until the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. some archaic elements of the mummers' behavior were preserved in domestic rituals. It was already noted earlier that mummers "sorcerers" could ride naked on a stick, broom, poker. But at the turn of the century in Totemsky district there was a custom in which naked women went around the house on a hook three times before sunrise (to survive bugs and cockroaches). And in the Cherepovets district, every owner of the house was obliged "to go around the hut on a broomstick in the morning so that no one would see, and there would be every good in the house for a whole year."

Being a holiday associated with the cult of ancestors, givers of fertility, Maslenitsa in ancient times lasted not 8 days, but 14, that is, it marked the day of the ancestors (the day of the ancestors - 28 days or the lunar month), who returned to the living world to help their descendants. The fact that Maslenitsa lasted 14 days is evidenced by the message of one of the foreigners who visited Russia in 1698. He wrote that "Shrovetide reminds me of the Italian carnival, which at the same time and in the same way is sent." Coming to the world of the living only for a day from their own world, the "parents", led by Troyan, not only increase the life-giving power of the Earth, but also acquire new powers themselves. After all, pancakes, oatmeal jelly, honey, colored eggs, milk, cottage cheese, cereals are food not only for the living, but also for the ancestors who came to visit them on Shrovetide. Tasting the ritual meal, Santa Claus turns from the lord of cold and night into the Lord of spring and morning of the year - Troyan. He has yet to show again all three of his faces: youth - spring - creation; summer - maturity - conservation; winter - old age - destruction, and hence the possibility of new creation.

Based on the foregoing, all Shrovetide events should not go beyond the tradition, these are:
Ritual evening or night bonfires made of straw on hills, fields or poles (bonfires in the form of "Segner's wheel" are possible);
Swinging on Russian swings, throwing boards, fistfights;
Horseback riding and sleigh rides;
Riding from the icy mountains on the bottoms of spinning wheels, on spinning wheels, in baskets, on wooden dies, swinging on a Russian swing;
Treats: pancakes, oatmeal jelly, beer, honey, cottage cheese, milk, cereals (oatmeal, barley, wheat);
Ritual rounds of mummers.

Maslenitsa mummer characters:

Ancestors - "elders", "deceased", "tall old women".
Strangers - "beggars", "hunter", "devil" (all black with horns).
Young - "bride and groom", "pregnant woman".
Animals - "Bull", "Cow", "Horse", "Goat", "Elk", "Bear", "Dogs", "Wolves".
Birds - "Goose", "Goose", "Crane", "Duck", "Chicken".

The mummers "baked pancakes", "knocked down butter", "threshed peas", "grinded flour", "measured straw." They "married the young", "buried the dead". The "grandfathers" put the girls on the laps of the guys, "married them". Those girls who did not obey them, the "grandfathers" beat with brooms, forced to kiss themselves. All were poured with water.

This is the ancient Maslenitsa holiday.

According to its custom, the church "appointed" its own to the place of the pagan holiday, deliberately shifting the boundaries of Lent for this. After that, Maslenitsa was perceived by the Christian church as actually a religious holiday and was called Cheese or Cheese Week, but this did not change its inner essence. The 19th century ethnographer I.M.Snegirev believed that Maslenitsa in pagan times accompanied the celebrations in honor of the pagan god Veles, the patron saint of cattle breeding and agriculture, which fell on February 24 in the new style.

For the Slavs, this holiday has long been a meeting of the new year! Indeed, until the XIV century, the year in Russia began in March. And according to old beliefs, it was believed: how a person meets a year, so he will be. Therefore, the Russians did not skimp on this holiday for a generous feast and unrestrained fun. And the people called Maslenitsa "honest", "broad", "gluttonous", and even "ruinous". And the name "Maslenitsa" itself appeared only in the 16th century. It arose because this week, according to the Orthodox tradition, meat is already excluded from food, and dairy products can still be consumed - here they bake butter pancakes.

Maslyanitsa is a holiday not only for the Slavs, but also for almost all of Europe. The tradition of celebrating the arrival of spring has been preserved in different cities and countries, from Siberia to Spain. In the countries of Western Europe, Maslenitsa smoothly turns into a nationwide carnival, where quarrels and disputes cease during the celebration, unrestrained fun, laughter and humor reign everywhere.

In Scotland, on Shrovetide, it was customary to bake "lean cakes". A handful of oatmeal was poured into the palms folded together, then the flour was firmly squeezed in the palms and immersed in cold water, and the resulting ball was baked in the hearth right in the hot ash. The Scots consider baking pancakes to be an important act in which all family members try to take part: one greases the pan with butter, another pours dough onto it, the third turns the pancake over ...

In one of the cities of England, for many years, a women's pancake race has been held. At 11.45, the "pancake bell" is ringing. Every woman runs with a hot skillet and a pancake. Competition rules dictate that competitors must be at least 18 years old; each must have an apron and a kerchief; while running, you need to toss the pancake in the pan at least three times and catch it. The first woman to pass a pancake to the bell ringer becomes the champion of pancake racing for a year and is rewarded with ... the kiss of the bell ringer.

Theatrical performances and concerts are held in schools in Denmark these days. Schoolchildren exchange signs of friendship, send comic letters to their friends through acquaintances without specifying a return address. If a boy receives such a letter from a girl and guesses her name, then on Easter she will give him chocolate.

If the main characters of the Russian Maslenitsa were newlyweds, then in Eastern Europe they were bachelors. Beware, bachelors, Shrovetide. Especially if you happen to find yourself in Poland at this time. Proud Polish women, having lulled your vigilance with pancakes, donuts, brushwood and vodka, will certainly drag you by the hair for dessert. On the last day of Maslenitsa, you can go to the tavern, where the violinist will "sell" unmarried girls.

And in the Czech Republic, these cheerful days, young guys with soot-smeared faces go around the whole village to music, carrying a painted wooden block - "klatik". It is hung on each girl's neck or tied to an arm or leg. If you want to pay off, pay.

In Yugoslavia, you will certainly be put in a pig trough and dragged around the village. And on the roof of your own house, you can find the figure of a straw grandfather.

Catherine II was very fond of skiing from the mountain, merry-go-rounds, swings, they were arranged in Moscow at the Pokrovsky Palace, where the empress loved to go to Shrovetide with the whole court. And on the occasion of her coronation, imitating Peter I, she organized a grandiose masquerade procession called "Triumphant Minerva" in Moscow at Masleni week. For three days a masquerade procession rode around the city, which, according to the empress's plan, was supposed to represent various social vices - bribery, embezzlement, bureaucratic red tape and others, destroyed by the beneficial rule of the wise Catherine. The procession consisted of four thousand characters and two hundred chariots.

And when Catherine II waited for the birth of her grandson Alexander, to whom she secretly intended to transfer the throne, bypassing her unloved son Paul, the Empress, to celebrate, arranged a truly "diamond" carnival for her entourage. Those who were the winners in the games started after supper were presented with a diamond by the empress. During the evening, she presented her associates with about 150 diamonds, striking in their price and rare beauty.

Shrovetide falls on the week preceding Great Lent. Therefore, at this time, a person takes away his soul on the eve of a difficult and long Great Lent. Shrovetide is, first of all, plentiful and satisfying food. Therefore, there is nothing shameful in eating at this time, trying a wide variety of dishes and not deny yourself anything. In traditional life, it was always believed that a person who spent the Maslenitsa week badly and boredom would be unlucky throughout the year. Unbridled Shrovetide gluttony and fun are seen as a magical harbinger of future well-being, prosperity and success in all business, household and economic endeavors. The beginning of Shrovetide ranges from February 3 (i.e. January 21, old style) to March 14 (March 1, old style).

Shrovetide is a cheerful farewell to winter, illuminated by the joyful expectation of close warmth, spring renewal of nature. Even pancakes, an indispensable attribute of Shrovetide, had ritual significance: round, ruddy, hot, they were a symbol of the sun, which flared up brighter and brighter, lengthening the days. Centuries passed, life changed, with the adoption of Christianity in Russia new, church holidays appeared, but the wide Shrovetide continued to live. She was greeted and escorted with the same irrepressible prowess as in pagan times. Shrovetide has always been popularly loved by the people and affectionately called "katochka", "sugar mouth", "kissing lady", "honest carnival", "merry", "pepeplochka", "perebuha", "obeduha", "yasochka".

Shrovetide is a week-long holiday, a ritual holiday with round dances, songs, dances, games, and most importantly - with the rite of praise, feeding and burning of the self-made effigy of Winter. Children are told about the ritual significance of Shrovetide calls and merrymaking, they explain why they need to burn Shrovetide, lure the Sun with pancakes, praise Spring, and ask for a good harvest.

Shrovetide week was literally full of festive affairs; ritual and non-ritual actions, traditional games and undertakings, duties and deeds filled all the days to overflowing. There was enough strength, energy, enthusiasm for everything, since the atmosphere of utmost emancipation, universal joy and fun reigned. Each day of Shrovetide had its own name, each of them had certain actions, rules of behavior, etc.:

Monday - "meeting"
Tuesday - "flirt",
Wednesday - "gourmet", "revelry", "break",
Thursday - "walk-four", "wide",
Friday - "mother-in-law of the evening", "mother-in-law of the evening",
Saturday - "sister-in-law gatherings", "farewell",
Sunday is "forgiven day".

The whole week was called "honest, wide, cheerful, boyarynya-Shrovetide, Mrs. Shrovetide."

Monday - meeting
On this day, an effigy of Maslenitsa was made from straw, they put on old women's clothes, put this effigy on a pole and, singing, drove it on a sleigh through the village. Then Shrovetide was set on a snowy mountain, where sleigh rides began. The songs that are sung on the day of "meeting" are very cheerful.

Tuesday is a play
From that day, various kinds of entertainment began: sleigh rides, folk festivals, performances. In large wooden booths (premises for folk theatrical performances with clownets and comic scenes), performances were performed led by Petrushka and the Maslenitsa grandfather. On the streets there were large groups of mummers, in masks, driving to familiar houses, where impromptu home concerts were arranged. Large companies rode around the city, on triplets and on simple sleds. Another simple entertainment was held in high esteem - skiing from the icy mountains.

Wednesday is a gourmet
She opened treats in all houses with pancakes and other dishes. In each family, tables were laid with delicious food, pancakes were baked, and beer was made in the villages in a club. Theaters and stalls appeared everywhere. They sold hot sbitni (drinks made from water, honey and spices), roasted nuts, honey gingerbread. Here, right under the open sky, one could drink tea from a boiling samovar.

Thursday - revelry (fracture, wide Thursday)
This day was the middle of games and fun. Perhaps it was then that hot Maslenitsa fist fights took place, fists, leading their origin 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 were fighting - the third did not climb), beat below the belt or hit on the back of the head. For violation of these rules, punishment was threatened. It was possible to fight “wall to wall” or “one on one”. There were also "hunting" battles for connoisseurs, fans of such fights. Ivan the Terrible himself watched such battles with pleasure. For such an occasion, this amusement was prepared especially magnificently and solemnly. And yet it was a game, a holiday, which, of course, corresponded to the clothes. If you also want to follow ancient Russian rituals and customs, if your hands itch a lot, you can have a little fun, probably with a fight - all negative negative emotions will be removed at the same time, relaxation will come (maybe this was some secret meaning of fist fights), and at the same time it is a duel of the strongest. Just do not forget about all the restrictions and, most importantly, that this is still a festive, game duel.

Friday - 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 manner "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 made 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. A former friend usually showed up, who played the same role as at the wedding, and received 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 gatherings
The sister-in-law is the husband's sister. So, on this Saturday, the young daughters-in-law received their relatives. As you can see, on this "fatty carnival" every day of this generous week was accompanied by a special feast.

Sunday - farewell, kissing man, forgiven day.
The last day of Shrovetide week was called “Forgiveness Sunday”: relatives and friends did not go to each other to celebrate, 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 you,” the interlocutor answered, after which it was necessary to kiss as a sign of reconciliation.

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. Men usually "rinsed their teeth", i.e. they drank vodka in abundance, ostensibly to rinse out the remnants of the slurry from their mouths; in some places, fistfights, etc. were organized to “shake out the pancakes”. 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.

Pancake week. Referring to this very beloved national holiday, one cannot but note one very strange, at first glance, circumstance - after all, the original name of this holiday is completely unknown to most of us. "Pancake week". "Generous Shrovetide". "Fat Shrovetide". Etc. But all these names are just a statement of the presence of ritual food - pancakes and butter. And no more?

In the ancient tradition of our ancestors, the most important calendar points of the year: winter (December 22) and summer (June 22) solstices, spring (March 22) and autumn (September 22) equinoxes were combined into the symbolic "Cross of the Year". This conclusion is confirmed by the data of the Vlesovaya Kniga, which speaks of the four most important holidays of the year: Kolyada, Yaro, Krasnaya Gora and Ovseni (Small and Great).

Carols, of course, are our Winter Christmastide with ritual songs - "carols" and mummers performing them - "carols", "carols". The very term "Kolyada" ("pounding", that is, giving a circle "is directly related to the completion of the circle of divine days, when the Night of the Gods, which ends on the night of December 21-22, is replaced by the New Day of the Gods, beginning on December 22nd. The entire period of Winter Christmas (December 19 - January 19) is dedicated to the worship of the Divine Light - the Creator of the Universe, whom our ancestors called the Immutable Law or Grandfather. ie, those who have joined the Absolute Truth of the Cosmic Law Thus, Winter Christmas is a period of worshiping the Wisdom of the Creator, summing up the results of the annual circle and meeting the new Colo-Sun.

Yaro or Yarilin day (Kupalo) - June 22 - summer solstice and the beginning of the Night of the Gods. We have yet to talk about him. Let us only note that this is a holiday of young people, those who had to find a mate and pass the test by the Divine Fire for the right to marry a chosen one or a chosen one. And, having entered into marriage, fulfill the cosmic law of reincarnation, giving life to new people - children.

The next most important holiday in the list of the "Forest Book" is Krasnaya Gora, followed by Ovsen (Avsen, Usen, Tausen), i.e. the holiday of the autumn equinox. But here we stop at a paradox - today's Red Mountain has nothing to do with the vernal equinox. A holiday close to this calendar date - March 22, we do not have at all. However, it is known from historical sources that earlier such a ritual cycle as Maslenitsa (or Maslyanitsa) lasted not a week, but a whole lunar month, starting on February 21 and ending on the night of March 21-22. Krasnaya Gora today is a holiday of the Easter forty days. In most cases, Red Mountain is called either Fomin's Sunday (the next after Easter), or the first three days of Fomin's week (including Sunday), or the entire Fomin's week. The ethnographer IP Sakharov wrote in 1848 that “Red Mountain in Russia is the first spring holiday. Great Russians greet spring here, marry their betrothed, play round dances ”.

Turning to Maslenitsa, we can note a strange circumstance that the ancient name of this holiday was unknown to us until recently. "Generous Shrovetide, fatty Shrovetide", etc. just stated the presence of ritual food - pancakes and butter. And no more. "Vlesova Kniga" put everything in its place. And today we can confidently assert that the ancient sacred Red Mountain and our Shrovetide are one and the same. This is evidenced by the fact that it was during Oil Week that the newlyweds went to their “mother-in-law for pancakes”. The mother-in-law, in the archaic tradition, is not only the wife's mother, but also the oldest woman in the house. A ritual play song (Vologda Oblast) speaks of an oak tree on which "an owl sits, she is my mother-in-law, she grazed horses." Archaeologist E.V. Kuzmina notes that "the horse played an important role in the cult of the mother goddess." In the Indo-European tradition, the image of the goddess - the mistress of horses was widespread. "She was represented standing between two horsemen", personifying the opposite elements - life and death, over which the Goddess - Mother is in control. Sometimes, instead of horsemen, simply two horses were depicted - black and white. Note that one of the most important and colorful rituals of Maslenitsa was the rite of riding around on horseback and in a sleigh.

It is worth remembering that in the ancient Greek tradition, in its most archaic part, Zeus (Dyaus), the head of the pantheon of gods, was personified in the image of an oak by the water (Zeus of Dodonsky). And his daughter, the embodiment of wisdom and sacred knowledge Athena, came out of the head of Zeus and was called the Owl, since her zoomorphic incarnation was an owl. The image of an owl in the Vologda ritual song is much more archaic than the ancient Greek one, since here she is not a maiden - a warrior, but a foremother - a mother-in-law. Note that the owl is a nocturnal bird associated with the most ancient lunar cult, and the Foremother is the one who embodies divine thought in the manifested world. In the Russian North, in the archaeological sites of the Mesolithic (10-7 thousand BC), figures of women made of stone and bone, ending with an owl's head, are often found.

And, finally, in the ritual text related to the preparation for the wedding, the orphan bride addresses her deceased mother, calling her "My Red KrasiGora".

Shrovetide is not only a festive cycle associated with the cult of the Foremother - Red Mountain, it is also a celebration of the glorification of newlyweds who got married last year. It was for them, first of all, that the ice mountains were built, from which every young couple, after a three-time kiss, had to move down.

Thus, Shrovetide - Red Mountain of the Vlesova Kniga is a ritual cycle dedicated to the cult of the Foremother - the maternal principle of the Universe, as well as to those who serve the manifestation of this principle on Earth - young married couples.

From year to year, we observe the same picture: both on city and on traditional Shrovetide, when the scarecrow is dealt with, the same words about the “burning” of Winter are heard. Such an explanation is quite natural at civil events seeking to smooth out the "sharp corners" of a pagan holiday, but for native believers, I consider it unacceptable to ignore the essence of the rite.

It makes no sense to burn Winter or its symbol, since it is indestructible. You can rush her to leave, chase her away, but she will return in due time, whether you like it or not. It is absurd to recall a dying and reborn deity in the situation with Winter, since myths of this type refer to the Gods of fertility, to which Winter does not belong. In some places, the remains of the burnt effigy were scattered across the fields. It looks very strange if you stand in the position of the burning of Winter.

Modern Rodnovers call the effigy of Winter “Mara”, “Morin”, and on this basis declare its connection with Winter. And indeed, cold, darkness, death, white color, etc. belong to Mara. However, in Slavic traditions, the stuffed animals burned at the spring equinox were called differently, moreover, they could be male!

What should we do with the Belarusian Maslenitsa Grandfather, maybe it's Frost? Then why was he portrayed with pronounced sexual characteristics (carrots and beetroots), the same as in Yarila. It is clear that the character with such "personal belongings" has nothing to do with frost and winter, he has to do with fertility. This Grandfather is called differently in Belarus. In one of the villages - "Sidorom". Collectors of folklore guessed to ask the old-timers why Sidor? And they got the answer: “A very respected long-liver lived in our village, and when he died, a burnt effigy was named after him” (T. Kuharonok. “Gulni, fun, games.” Minsk. In Belarusian). We see that the burning of an effigy here is a symbolic funeral of a respected fellow countryman according to the ancient rite of cremation.

Let's take another example. The West Slavic song accompanying the burning of the Kupala effigy says:

Morena, Morena, for whom did she die?
… For the old grandfather, whose teeth are rare.

The burning of effigies during the moments of the Solar phases is the sending of "messengers" to the Gods with our wishes, in particular, with a request for an early end of Winter. This is not an imitation of human sacrifice, but the memory of the solemn cremation of the most respected members of the family.

The question is, where did so many dead people come from in ancient times precisely during the period of solar phases, because fires were burned in every village? There is written evidence that among the Prussian tribe, the noble deceased, as they say, "waited" for their time, that is, they were not burned immediately after death, but were stored in special places until the next solar phase. We can assume the same among the Eastern Slavs. Let me remind you that Pancakes are not only a "symbol of the Sun", but also the main memorial food.

Winter on Shrovetide was driven out in the following way. They made a big Snow Woman and shot her with snowballs. The rite of "Hook of Spring" also played a great magical role in this matter.

Of course, information about such things is currently not advertised for known reasons, although they are not closed to the curious.

Who else, if not us, is interested in such things?

Since ancient Vedic times, the Maslenitsa holiday came to us, our ancestors the Slavs revered this holiday, they worshiped the great Sun, which is why many Maslenitsa rituals are associated with it.

Shrovetide is traditionally celebrated before the start of Lent, 40 days before Easter, it is a cheerful, noisy, joyful holiday, it teaches mainly at the end of February or the beginning of March, a wonderful time to see off winter.

Previously, this holiday was celebrated on March 20, the day when night was equated to day, and after that daylight hours became longer, this day symbolized the victory of light forces over darkness.

Shrovetide was celebrated for seven days before the day of the equinox (March 20) and seven days after it, until Christianity spread to Slavic territory. During the Maslenitsa celebration, nature awakens, the Sun gains strength and becomes Yaril, the human body changes its hormonal background, tunes in to the activity of spring. The Christian Church did not enter into a dispute with the customs of the Russian people and left the celebration of Maslenitsa, although it reduced the time of festivities to one week, and had to postpone the favorite holiday, no matter what it coincided with Great Lent (they decided to celebrate Christmas during the winter solstice).

On March 20, the sun reaches zero coordinates in time and degrees, this point is called the vernal equinox. On the zodiac circle, this point is located in the constellation Pisces. The sun rises perfectly at sunrise and sets in the west on the vernal equinox. During these days, the Sun moves strictly along the horizon (with the help of refraction, which contributes to the fact that the Sun rises above the horizon, and it moves half a degree above the horizon). When the Sun crosses the point of the celestial sphere, as they say in science, an astronomical spring comes in the northern hemisphere of the planet, respectively, there will be autumn in the southern hemisphere. On this day, it is generally accepted that the day is equal to the night, of course, this is conditional, that is, purely mathematically. But if you look at this in more detail, then all the same, the day is slightly longer than the night, and all this is due to atmospheric refraction, which contributes to the fact that all the stars are raised above the horizon. Every day after the vernal equinox, the Sun will rise above the horizon, right up to the summer solstice, it will pass partly the zodiacal circle.

Iran, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan - all these countries tie their New Year precisely to the spring equinox. On such a day, there is also an equal division of light and darkness. Before, when people did not have calendars, they adapted to predict spring by the position of the sun. Old people believed that it was after this holiday that nature begins its renewal: the first spring rains with thunder, young leaves appear on the trees, green grass breaks through.

Celebrating Maslenitsa, people want to show Yaril how they want to live - joyfully, beautifully, in abundance and abundance. To get a big harvest, the farmer needs the sun to shine. To do this, on this holiday, they baked round pancakes as a symbol of the sun, laid the tables with all sorts of goodies and rode horses in a circle - all this was done in order to appease the Sun.

The Rusichi said: as you celebrate a year, you will live it. Therefore, we tried to set a generous table on this day and have fun from the heart. And Shrovetide for this was nicknamed "truthful", "sweeping", and sometimes "wasteful".

Shrovetide was celebrated, a whole week, and each day was given its own purpose and name. The purpose of Shrovetide was not only to invoke the grace of the Sun, but also to choose a bride or groom and get married, and when Lent is over, you can start playing weddings, just in time for Krasnaya Gorka.

Monday

Oil week begins on Monday, this day was named meeting... People gather to discuss how to celebrate the Maslenitsa week and who to invite. And at this time, preparations for the celebration begin in the central squares: tables are set up for treats, booths for jesters are erected, snow sculptures are being built. Also on Monday they make an effigy of Maslenitsa. In the evening, sledding and triplets of horses begin, on this day the obligatory treats are pancakes, each hostess has many recipes with which she surprises her guests. Wealthy housewives served pancakes with red caviar, red fish, but where the poorer lived, they ate pancakes with sour cream, honey or butter. Everyone put their soul into their treats. The first pancake was treated to the poor so that they would remember the dead.

Tuesday

Tuesday is the second day and they named it flirtation... On this day, it is customary to have fun, have fun, ride a sleigh down the mountains, build snow and ice fortresses, listen to ditties of buffoons. People went to visit, treated themselves to pancakes, and then went to have fun on the hill. It was here that the guys met the girls, some found friends, and some also found companions in life.

Wednesday

Wednesday was given a name gourmet... On this day, the mother-in-law invited her son-in-law to her for pancakes (as well as the future son-in-law, who had already received permission from his parents to marry), she had to cook them herself, in order to please and pamper her daughter's husband and show her good disposition towards him. The son-in-law was treated to pancakes and dumplings with different fillings. When the son-in-law took up treats, the mother-in-law did not take her eyes off him. She wondered what kind of character her son-in-law had, if he liked dumplings and pancakes with salty filling, then he had a complex character, well, but if with a sweet one, then her daughter was lucky, she would pamper and please her in everything. Girls and women rode in sleighs in the evening, rejoiced and sang funny ditties.

Thursday

On Thursday, all homework stopped, and the Wide Maslenitsa began, this day was called - walk around... Everyone rested, including women! People had fun, they rode in troikas, captured snow castles, competed to see who was stronger, kindled fires and jumped over them. The guys showed off their strength to the girls. Little children went about their homes, unloaded, and the hostesses tried to cook them goodies. Children drank tea, and adults - a digest, a drink made from honey and beer. Currently, scientists have proven that honey at a temperature of whiter than 60 degrees becomes a carcinogen (it can provoke the development of cancer cells), so it's up to you to judge the usefulness of this drink. The secret meaning of this day and the wide Shrovetide is to throw off the accumulated negative energy over the winter and establish good relations with people.

Friday

Unusual day Friday - called mother-in-law evenings. On Thursday evening, the son-in-law came to his mother-in-law's house, bowed low and invited her to his home to visit. And on Friday morning, young people already came - "zvatye", whom the son-in-law sent to invite the mother-in-law, and the more these people were, the stronger the son-in-law expressed his respect and reverence, as well as love for his wife. On this day, the newlyweds, dressed smartly, went to visit all those who were present at their wedding, and in the evening, with jokes and songs, they rolled down the mountain on a sleigh. There was another interesting tradition: the son-in-law had to ride his well-fed and contented mother-in-law on a sleigh. Men who wanted to guess their mother-in-law drove along a flat road with a breeze, and those who were not afraid to enter into an argument with their mother-in-law and express their opinion, drove along an uneven road with hills and bumps. It is worth noting that the sons-in-law rarely went to such an act, because the main thing in the family is peace and understanding.

Saturday

Shrovetide unites the whole family, that is how the sister-in-law, the husband's sister, was invited to visit. So Saturday was named sister-in-law gatherings... There were no special treats on the table, only pancakes and pies were prepared, but everyone was having fun with all the heart. The sisters of her husband came to the house of the daughter-in-law, she prepared various presents for them. These were a kind of a bridegroom of a young woman.

Sunday

The oil week ended with Forgiveness Sunday. On this day, it was customary to go around all relatives and friends and ask for forgiveness from them, and they asked for forgiveness, even if there was nothing to ask for, giving gifts to those closest to them.

On this day, they also went to the cemetery to take pancakes to the dead and commemorate them. Returning home, everyone sat down at a large table, but the main dish was no longer pancakes, but dumplings with cottage cheese. There was a belief that cottage cheese from the very last dumpling has magical properties; those who can keep the dumpling until Easter will be able to see various evil spirits.

On the squares of cities and villages, people said goodbye to winter, burning an effigy of Maslenitsa. Our ancestors said that this fire has magical properties. People threw old things into the burning fire from burning a scarecrow, thus, they wanted to get rid of the negative energy accumulated over the winter. This fire cleansed the soul of a person from sorrows and troubles. The remains of the ash, after burning the effigy, were developed over the fields, this suggested a good harvest.

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Shrovetide and its significance in Russia

Make way, people - Maslenitsa is coming to us! The scarecrow of winter is burned, Red spring is met!

Shrovetide is a joyful meeting of spring, praise to the Sun, a week-long festivities with pancakes and the unity of all the people.

In 2018 Maslenitsa is celebrated with 12 - 18 February and in 2019 celebrating withMarch 4 - 10... The time depends on the date of Easter, so there are such discrepancies in the numbers.

How Maslenitsa was celebrated in Russia

In Russia, Maslenitsa has been celebrated since pagan times, because it is a Slavic holiday that has its own divine meaning, where Nature itself is the main character.

Our ancestors were so close to nature that the entire way of peasant life obeyed its laws, people from year to year observed all the unshakable traditions of faith.

Here is Shrovetide - symbolizes light and warmth, and the symbol of Shrovetide is "Kolovrat".

"Colo"- this sun and its constant movement was associated with the cyclical nature of human life, this is the vernal equinox. For many peoples, this is the beginning of the New Year.

Three important meanings embedded in Shrovetide

The first important meaning of Shrovetide

The turning point of the transition from winter to spring, and this is always the birth of everything new, because sunlight and warmth give life to all life on earth. And in Russia before the sun was revered as a god, so pancakes are a symbol of Maslenitsa.

So we cheerfully meet Shrovetide, overeat pancakes, enjoy the sun and spring. Previously, Maslenitsa was affectionately called obeduha, a kissing woman, a pancake.

The second important meaning of Shrovetide

The cult of the land - the breadwinner, which since ancient times has played a major role in the life of the peasants. It was on the fertility of the land that the future harvest depended, which means a well-fed and happy life of people.

Yarilo- the god of fertility and vital energy among the Slavs, he gave everyone hope, supported the strength of the spirit, warmed the souls of people with warmth, and most importantly - gave strength to the earth. That is why, as a sacrifice for a rich harvest, a large straw effigy was burned, and the ashes were scattered over the fields so that it could be fed and filled with juices.

The third interesting feature of Shrovetide

This is fertility in the life of the young. Procreation is the main goal of the life of the peasants, because in a large friendly family it is easier to survive and cope with difficulties.

Now everything is different, but then people were preparing for family life ahead of time: in the pre-oil week, the groom chose a bride for himself, got to know his parents, received a blessing from them in order to have a wedding after Lent.

And the meaning of Shrovetide was to revive feelings after a long winter, awaken desires and invigorate the body, feed on solar energy and sow a spark of love.

This was done through general fun, roller coasters, fraternization, playful pleasures, taking a snow town, horseback riding, songs and round dances.

At the same time, Great Lent forced young people not to sin, to cleanse themselves of everything unnecessary, to abstain in everything in order to prepare the soul and body for the sacraments of marriage.

Maslenitsa week

All 7 days the people rejoiced, and every day had its own tradition and name. Shrovetide was divided into 2 parts: Narrow - the first 3 days of the week and Wide Shrovetide - Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Monday - "Meeting"

The hostesses baked pancakes, made a stuffed animal out of straw, and decorated it.

Tuesday - "Flirt"

Bride shows, roller coaster rides, games, pancake beckoning.

Wednesday - "Gourmet"

A well-known tradition, when a son-in-law comes to his mother-in-law for pancakes.

Thursday - "Take a walk"

The Wide Maslenitsa begins, fist fights, competitions, climbing a pole, songs and round dances, jumping over a fire, booths and fun with a bear. All this helped to throw out a bad mood and despondency.

Friday - "Mother-in-law's evening"

Now the son-in-law was asking his mother-in-law for pancakes.

Saturday - "Cousin's Gatherings"

Gathered in large companies at the table, had fun, laughed, sang. The daughter-in-law was supposed to give her sister-in-law a gift.

Sunday - "Forgiveness Sunday"

This is the culmination of the whole holiday. People commemorated the dead, went to the cemetery, held commemorations, funerals, liturgy served in churches, read the Sermon on the Mount of Christ.

Shrovetide is rightfully considered "Babskaya week". The important role of women in the household was emphasized here. All 7 days they took a break from hard peasant labor, on Shrovetide it was impossible to work, sew, spin - only bake pancakes, woo young girls and have fun.

Forgiveness sunday

The most important thing was to ask for forgiveness from people. They said: "Forgive me" and had to answer: "God will forgive - and I forgive"

Even in pre-revolutionary Russia, the tsar himself traveled around the troops and asked the soldiers for forgiveness. It was a day of good donations and good deeds.

Forgiveness is cleansing from sins and everything negative, a person's heart became kinder and cleaner, and thoughts are brighter and more joyful.

Burning a scarecrow at Shrovetide

Finally, a scarecrow was burned. Made from straw, rags and improvised material, the scarecrow was mounted on a large pole, it was installed in a conspicuous place, they danced in circles and sang songs - this rite was inherited from the ancestors: in this way they plunged into a trance.

After 2 hours, with the help of a torch, the scarecrow was set on fire, old things were thrown into the fire, food leftovers (in front - post), notes with wishes.

It was believed that the adversity and misfortunes of people, all the negative accumulated over the winter, were burned in the fire.

Today it has turned into fun and entertainment, but then the farewell to winter was a sacred ritual in which all the people took part.

How Shrovetide is celebrated in other countries

I must say that Maslenitsa is celebrated in all Western countries. In America and Europe - Mardi Gras Carnival (Fat Tuesday). In Spain - a holiday of freedom and jokes.

In England - running with a hot frying pan and pancakes - you had to throw a pancake on the run 3 times and catch it. In Slovenia and Croatia - a ritual of expulsion of winter, when masked youth with dances and shouts frightened winter.

But the most unforgettable Shrovetide takes place in Italy. More than 3 million tourists come to see the magnificent costume carnival in Venice. The word "Carnival" is translated (carne vale) goodbye, meat. For the first time such a carnival was held in 1094, now it is a bright, magnificent theatrical show with acrobats, clowns, magicians, contests, games, concerts, theatrical performances are held.

After Maslenitsa came the strictest 7-week fast, the purpose of which was to prepare the soul and body for Easter. So the sincere joy and happiness received on Shrovetide will be remembered for a long time. Long live Spring, renewal of life, when you want to live and love!

Traditions, customs of Maslenitsa in Russia
Shrovetide Forgiveness Sunday

The multi-day Shrovetide is a pagan holiday rich in traditions. Before the Baptism of Rus, the ancient Slavs had a solar calendar. In those distant times, the main population of the Russian land lived in small settlements and agriculture, animal husbandry, construction were entirely dependent on natural phenomena. Therefore, all rituals and traditions in Russia were inextricably linked with the earth as a nurse and the sun giving life to all living things.

Before the adoption of Christianity (10th century), Maslenitsa was celebrated at the end of March, a week before the spring equinox and seven days after. In ancient Russia, it symbolized the farewell to the annoying winter and the long-awaited arrival of spring. A holiday generous in tradition simply meant the changing of the seasons. In the spring, severe frosts end, more often warmth comes, the sun warms up more and more tangibly and daylight comes. The land is warming up, promising the peasants a good harvest, they bring calves and give milk to the cows, which means life goes on!

The ancient tribes of the Slavs may have baked festive pancakes and made sacrifices to the pagan gods, but alas, no evidence of this has survived. Thousands of years ago, the ancestors probably did not indulge in gluttony and unrestrained revelry, the time was too hard! Bad harvest years happened quite often and food supplies usually ran out at the end of winter. I may disappoint readers, but pancakes in Russia were not a festive meal, but a quick substitute for bread.

Dark pancakes were baked; barley, oat, buckwheat…. And golden wheat pancakes are unlikely, for the culture is capricious and poorly growing. On weekdays and holidays, the ancestors ate pancakes with milk, jelly, stewed fruit, tea, stuffed them with various cereals .... But pagan rituals to increase the fertility of the land, cattle, commemoration of the dead were undoubtedly carried out.

Over the past centuries, the calendar has changed twice, and paganism is closely intertwined with the Christian faith. Mentions of the ancient Slavic pagan holiday with a description of traditions and rituals appeared only in the sixteenth century. Then he received the official name Maslenitsa. The Orthodox Church managed to combine it with the beginning of Great Lent. Archbishop Adrian of Moscow shortens the celebration by a week, and Maslenitsa in Russia is celebrated forty-nine days before Easter. Moreover, the obligatory daily fasts on Wednesday and Friday are canceled.

In the era of Peter the Great, folk festivities reached an unprecedented scale. The royal persons arrange carnivals, take part in folk amusements…. Old customs were gradually forgotten, and Maslenitsa became just a secular holiday. They walked with the full breadth of the Russian soul, pulling out the best outfits from the chests, the last supplies from the storerooms, buying the missing goods. As the saying goes: "We ate, drank, had fun, counted, and wept"! It is forbidden to eat meat before Lent, probably then the tradition of eating pancakes every day arose.

We ate pancakes with sour cream, butter, mushrooms, caviar and fish, cottage cheese, jam, honey…. Each family tried to make the table "burst" with food, the ancestors believed this is the guarantee of a well-fed, abundant year. Shrovetide in Russia was the happiest holiday: "We ate until hiccups, sang until we were hoarse, danced until we dropped!" Household chores faded into the background, and people had fun from the heart. And the Russian soul asks for space, at Maslenitsa week old and young went out into the street. Drunken peasants wandered around the village, snotty kids darted about, dressed-up girls strolled and "shot" their eyes, the wimpy women laughed. And the dilapidated old men / old women, looking at this "disgrace", recalled their distant youth.

The people all week went to visit, invited them, rode horses, built snow fortresses, arranged fistfights. Men and women without hesitation "flew" from the ice slides, danced round dances ... In the capitals of Russia, the townspeople were entertained by skating from high specially arranged slides, merry-go-rounds, performances of buffoons, live bears .... The squares sold pies, bagels, pancakes, rolls, nuts and candies, honey sbiten with spices ... .. Congratulations on Maslenitsa, serve a pancake with butter! Traditionally, each holiday has a special role.

We met Shrovetide on Monday; they baked delicious pancakes, and made Maslenitsa in the villages. A large straw scarecrow was dressed in old women’s clothes and the "boyarynya" was rolled on a sleigh. Young daughters-in-law were sent to the parental home, and the father-in-law and mother-in-law came there in the evening. We treated ourselves to pancakes and planned the Maslenitsa celebration.

Flirting. Tuesday was a day of smotrin, young people looked closely at each other, parents "evaluated" possible candidates for sons-in-law / daughter-in-law. Guys from wealthy families put on the best harness on their horses, hung bells / bells and, attaching decorated sleds, rolled the girls. Flaunting in front of the girls, young people arranged agility competitions. Newlyweds and sedate married couples left. They took to the streets with the whole village, sang, have fun, danced, beckoned for pancakes ... .. Loud laughter, an accordion, daring jokes, fights, drunken tears / hugs, kisses with a word, life is a success!

Wednesday is a gourmet son-in-law's day, for him the mother-in-law laid the festive table with special fondness. She served sweet and salty pancakes, buckwheat and wheat, fed her son-in-law with dumplings, the best snacks and other yummy. The Russian proverb is true: "What is in the oven, all are swords on the table." Traditions demanded that every honor and respect be shown to his beloved son-in-law! And if there are several? Or does the son-in-law somehow consider himself deceived? Like a dowry was not given or the bride turned out to be spoiled! And relatives, guests, daughter are sitting at the table! Turn around mother-in-law, please your son-in-law.

Broad Thursday (walk around). According to custom, this is the day of the most unrestrained entertainment. At the same time, some of the fun were quite dangerous, for example, fistfights, a favorite tradition in Russia! Men fought in towns and villages, peasants and townspeople took part. We went wall to wall or used a chain fight. It seems like there is fun and rules, but serious injuries were inflicted. A knocked out tooth, a broken nose, or torn clothes are the least of these entertainments.

Another fun of the wide Thursday is the capture of the snow fortress. The men were divided into two teams, one defended the town, the other attacked. The defenders fought back with brooms, branches, whips, threw snow at the attackers. The fun ended with the complete destruction of the fortress. Wide Thursday was always accompanied by bold songs, mischievous ditties, Russian dances, eating butter pancakes and, of course, horseback riding. Even the most seedy nags were harnessed to the sled. Cheerfully spent Shrovetide in Russia, noisy!

Mother-in-law gatherings (evenings). If the son-in-law played a lot as a gourmand, Mom could "take revenge" in the mother-in-law of the gathering. By tradition, the named son called his mother-in-law for pancakes on Friday. The woman did not require special invitations at all, but the ancient custom dictated its own rules. A prerequisite for the mother-in-law's gatherings was a personal invitation from the son-in-law the day before, bows to the belt, plus messengers on Friday. A good son-in-law could even call in for his mother-in-law and take the named mother through the village. This attitude showed special honor and respect.

The mother-in-law of course agreed to come and, according to the old custom, made an unusual gift. She gave the young son-in-law's family everything necessary for baking pancakes, up to flour / butter. Not only the father-in-law and the mother-in-law came to visit, all relatives usually gathered. It was the turn of the son-in-law to please, feed and entertain the mother-in-law in every possible way, to listen to instructions (to learn wisdom). They walked for a long time, with songs, dances, memories, sincere conversations. A son-in-law who paid little attention to his mother-in-law could fall out of favor or even remain an enemy for life! However, harsh manners were in Russia.

Saturday is the day of the husband's sister (sister-in-law's gatherings). Shrovetide Saturday is a tough day for young wives. It was necessary to receive and treat the sisters of her husband, who always found some flaw. No wonder in Russia in the old days they said: "Sister-in-law, snake head"! No wonder, the newly-made wife "took" her beloved brother in the most shameless way. And if the young are happy and the sister-in-law sees the world do not wait! The young one had to try very hard so that his sister's gatherings (in fact, the bride-show) could please her husband's sister. To make the pancakes tasty and rich, the kvass is not sour ... .. By tradition, the daughter-in-law gave gifts to her sister-in-law; ribbons, headscarves, rings, beads, it is important that the gift is liked.

Usually they gathered in a large company because the sister-in-law could bring her friends to the gatherings. The married woman invited family young ladies, the sister-in-law was a girl of unmarried girlfriends. If there was a warm stop at Zolovka's gatherings, it was fun, the girls sang, gossiped, and wondered on pancakes. For example, a lot of holes in a pancake promised a bunch of children. In Russia, according to custom, they baked yeast pancakes, holes like stars in the sky! In the evening, the girls ran into the street, where the Maslenitsa celebration continued.

Forgiveness Sunday Maslenitsa. The last day of the Maslenitsa celebration is the farewell to winter and Forgiveness Sunday, perhaps the oldest Christian tradition in Russia. Like centuries ago, Maslenitsa week ended with the burning of a straw effigy symbolizing winter. They also ate pancakes, sang folk songs, drove en masse down hills, sleigh rides, and danced in circles. But the Shrovetide revelry subsided!

According to tradition, on the eve of the forgiven day, Orthodox Christians confessed, repented of their sins, and received communion. Then they visited the cemetery, asked for forgiveness from the dead, leaving gifts on the graves. Many parishioners with children on Forgiveness Sunday served in churches for a long time. In Russia, it was customary to ask for forgiveness for involuntary or deliberate sins. Children asked for forgiveness for sins from their elders, parents from children. A husband with a wife, a sister with a brother, and so on.

There are no sinless people, so they asked for forgiveness from relatives, neighbors, relatives and friends. They themselves forgave the offenders, put up with the enemies in order to pass Great Lent before Easter with a pure soul. According to the Orthodox tradition, it is impossible not to show mercy, this is a great sin. The repentant asked for forgiveness, and received the answer "God will forgive and you forgive me"! Sometimes they said "God will forgive and I will forgive." Traditions are traditions, but not everyone is able to forgive a murderer, a rapist ... Today, many centuries-old traditions and customs of the holiday have been lost, but ruddy pancakes and the burning of scarecrows are widespread in Russia. This year Shrovetide is from 12 to 18 February.

Materials:
Paganism in Orthodoxy. Moscow 1975 Nosova G.A.
Center for National Cultures and Folk Art
Travel to Ancient Russia. Moscow 1995 Ryabtsev Yu.S.