Shrovetide is a rampant folk festival with pagan roots. With his arrival, we feast on pancakes, take dances, ride from the mountains, arrange numerous entertainments and burn a scarecrow. What number is Shrovetide celebrated? What customs are connected with it? To find out about this, let us turn to the origins.
The origin of the holiday
Shrovetide was originally tied to the day of the spring solstice. It was she who marked the beginning of a new agricultural year. Winter for peasants is a difficult, cold, dark time. Everyone was looking forward to spring.
When Shrovetide begins, the sun god, Yarilo, resurrects. His coming was famous for songs, round dances. To help the young spring overcome the treacherous winter, they burned a scarecrow, arranged various fights, and destroyed a snowy town. The games were noisy, so that the dormant nature woke up, came to life. Special ceremonies were held to ensure a rich harvest in the new year.
What date was Shrovetide celebrated before the adoption of Christianity? Researchers say that it was celebrated for two weeks: one before the vernal equinox, and the second after a significant event.
Orthodox Shrovetide
After the baptism of Rus, many pagan holidays were banned. However, Shrovetide was of great importance to the people, and it was successfully entered into Christian traditions. True, at the same time it was significantly reduced.
Now the holiday was celebrated a week before Lent. What is the number of Maslenitsa this year, you can find out by looking at the Orthodox calendar. Usually its beginning falls on the period from February 3 to March 14. At this time, people have fun and eat away before the upcoming abstinence. Meat can no longer be eaten, so the Pancake week was called "meaty". But on the tables there are a lot of pancakes, dairy products.
Orthodox Christians must prepare for the fast by reconciling with their circle. It is customary to visit relatives and friends to apologize for their misconduct, help those in need, and engage in charity.
Monday
Every day on Pancake Week has its own traditions. Monday was called a "meeting." In the morning, a scarecrow was built from straw and old clothes, which was carried around the village on a sleigh. Children joyfully greeted Shrovetide with shouts, went home, asking for sweets. Swings and booths were set up on the square, and skating from the icy mountains began. The further the slide slides, the higher the swing takes off, the better the yield, the longer the flax. When Shrovetide begins, everyone must have fun. Otherwise, luck and wealth will pass you by.
In wealthy families, they started the first pancakes on Maslenitsa. The hostesses had their secrets. Someone put the dough in the snow, others kneading it on the river in the light of the stars. Hot, round pancakes are a symbol of the sun. The more you eat them, the faster the frosts recede. However, in Russia, pancakes always remained a funeral meal. It was customary to give the first portion to the dead. For this, a pancake was hung on the dormer or presented to a beggar, asking him to pray for his ancestors.
Tuesday
In the old days this day was called a "tune". Festivities began, comic shows were shown in booths, mummers appeared on the streets. But the main theme was love.
Maslenitsa holiday is closely associated with the onset of spring, fertility. In pagan times, weddings were held for him. The church forbade marrying Shrovetide, the celebration had to be postponed until Red Hill. But new traditions appeared.
On a "flirting" guys arranged marriages for girls. Young people skated from the mountains, stealthily looking at each other, agreed on a matchmaking. Frisky horses were harnessed to the sled. The young man could ride any girl he liked, and that girl, as a token of gratitude, should have kissed him. If the beauty refused, the boyfriend’s friends “froze” the sled and did not let the riders go until the condition was met.
All newlyweds were obliged to ride horses and from a snowy mountain, accept congratulations, and then kiss in front of all honest people.
Wednesday
Carnival is impossible to imagine without tents with pancakes and sweets. The more generous the table, the richer the crop will be. Especially satisfying are our ancestors ate on Wednesday, which was also called the “gourmet”.
Mother-in-law prepared the most delicious dishes that day and invited her son-in-law to visit. Gathered in the house and other relatives. Beer was served at the table, pancakes were baked with various fillings: caviar, potatoes, mushrooms, cottage cheese, honey, nuts. For mother-in-law and son-in-law, funny contests were organized. If the daughter’s husband approved the treat, then the next year will pass in peace and harmony.
Women and girls of different ages gathered at the "girl's congresses." They rode songs with horses, decorated with ribbons, went down the hills and made fun of single guys. They came up with punishments for the fact that last year they could not find a suitable bride. Young people bought off sweets and pancakes.
Thursday
The people called this day "walk around." The “wide Shrovetide” began with it , when chores were banned. All games and ceremonies were designed to help the sun overcome winter. For example, riding horses needed to be clockwise around the settlement, simulating the movement of the sun in the sky. The model of the star often became a wheel, which was mounted on a pole or pole. Sometimes it was set on fire and rolled down from the mountains. If the wheel did not fall at the same time, happiness awaited the person.
Any scenario of Maslenitsa on the street includes competitions: tug of war, comic battles, climbing on a pillar for gifts. Our ancestors always organized fist fights, including wall-to-wall. This fun was taken very seriously, before it they washed in the bath, ate tightly, gaining strength. They fought until the first blood, which symbolized a sacrifice to spirits.
Holding Shrovetide is inconceivable without taking a fortress built of compressed snow. As a weapon used snowballs, brooms, shovels. The winner is the one who first broke through the gate. He was "washed" in a snowdrift or forced to swim in an ice hole. The fortress was necessarily destroyed, which symbolized the victory over the harsh winter.
Booths acted in cities, performances were shown, mummers entertained people. Obligatory participant in the fun was a bear - real or dressed up. He became a symbol of spring. After all, the awakening of bears after hibernation is a sure sign of the coming heat.
Friday
Our ancestors nicknamed her "mother-in-law's evenings." Whereas before, sons-in-law were treated to pancakes at Shrovetide, now they themselves had to act as hospitable hosts. The day before, it was supposed to personally come to the house of the mother-in-law and invite her for lunch or dinner. Parents of the wife had to provide young people with everything necessary for cooking pancakes: flour, butter, a frying pan, a soup ladle, a tub for dough.
On Friday, the son-in-law sent his friends and neighbors for the dear guest - a “call”. The more people agreed to this role, the more respect is shown to the beloved mother-in-law. At a meeting, she could bring relatives or close friends with her. During the gatherings, “mother” considered herself obligated to share with young life experiences, give useful advice. If the son-in-law forgot his duty and did not invite his mother-in-law, this became an occasion for quarrels, and sometimes hostility.
Saturday
On Maslenitsa's holiday, respect is shown not only to the wife's relatives. The sixth day is called "sister-in-law gatherings." Sisters of the husband visit their young daughter-in-law. She must set the table with her own hands, accept them, demonstrating the skills of a good housewife. Each sister-in-law was supposed to present a gift. To make the meeting more fun, the daughter-in-law invited her friends to her - single or family. The latter depended on the status of the sister-in-law themselves.
If a woman had several brothers, she took turns visiting them. Also on this day, mass festivities continued: songs, round dances, roller coasters, fun games.
Forgiveness Sunday
Reckless fun came to an end. It was time to prepare for a strict post. Before him, he should have cleansed himself spiritually, admitting his mistakes and asking for forgiveness from everyone whom he had inadvertently offended. It was to enter a new life with a pure heart. Our ancestors also asked forgiveness from the dead, visiting the cemetery that day.
The Shrovetide scenario on the street includes burning a scarecrow. They kept brushwood for the bonfire and threw various rubbish into it. Thus, they left all unnecessary in the past and made room for the new. The scarecrow symbolized winter. The bonfire was intended to warm the earth, to melt the snowdrifts. Around him led a ritual dance. Girls went to the forest, on the river bank, sang songs about spring, calling on her.
In some places they arranged jumps over a fire. It was believed that the fire will burn everything bad, save from sins, illnesses, the evil eye. All fast food was also burned so that with the onset of fasting, do not expose yourself to temptations. In some cases, adults only pretended to throw pancakes, milk, butter into the fire. So the children were deceived so that they did not ask for more tasty food.
When Shrovetide ended, the ashes from the burnt scarecrow were scattered across the fields. It was believed that he would provide a rich harvest.
After knowing the number of Shrovetide this year, try to spend it profitably. Communication with relatives, joint feasts, fun games will surely bring you closer. Let spring enter your heart with round dances and hot, magnificent pancakes.