When this fun holiday comes, Shrovetide, it is always accompanied by fun, festivities and delicious pancakes. That is why Shrovetide is so loved by the Russian people.
Favorite holiday
Shrovetide in Russia and in Russia has always been accompanied and is still accompanied by a cheerful mood and joy, it is celebrated on a grand scale and an abundance of various goodies, including pancakes, pies and cheesecakes. Shrovetide is celebrated everywhere: in villages and cities. It was believed that non-participation in it threatens that a person can bring harm to himself. In Shrovetide it is customary to consume a lot of fatty and junk food, it is allowed to indulge in intoxicating drinks and go on a visit. Perhaps that is why she was and remains a favorite Russian holiday.
History of Shrovetide
The history of the holiday goes far into antiquity. Shrovetide is an ancient Slavic holiday that is firmly rooted in the everyday life of people after the adoption of Christianity. Strange as it may seem, the Slavs celebrated the New Year at Maslenitsa, because until the 16th century the year began not in January, but in March. Slavic pancakes were associated with the sun: round, ruddy and hot. In the life of Russian people, Maslenitsa week was the brightest, most fun and carefree. All Russian people had fun dancing, sledding, various fairs, admiring the mobile theaters, participated in fist fights and honored the newlyweds. Over time, new holidays began to appear, but Maslenitsa continued to be celebrated on a grand scale, not stinting on treats.
During the reign of Aleksei Mikhailovich, many measures were taken to calm the bold subjects, but all attempts were in vain.
A great lover of fun Peter I tried to connect this holiday with European traditions: Italian carnival processions, clownish performances, noisy feasts. Only in one year (1724) did Shrovetide fail due to severe frosts and snowstorms: they could not organize a carnival procession, as guests in costumes and masks were too cold on the streets of St. Petersburg.
During the reign of Catherine II during Maslenitsa, a masquerade was held, the participants of which marched through the villages and ridiculed the vices of people.
Shrovetide Days
On Shrovetide, each day of the week is accompanied by its own special rite.
So, on Monday it is customary to meet Shrovetide: dressing a straw effigy and dressing in women's clothing.
On Tuesday, Maslenitsa - festivities, sleigh rides on icy slides. Large crowds of people went to fairs, laughed at puppet theater productions and roamed around the guests.
Wednesday is a gourmet. In every house, a table was served with all kinds of refreshments: pancakes, pies, beer. At fairs, you could treat yourself with nuts, gingerbread, honey.
Thursday is in the middle of the fun. It was on this day that the most spectacular fist fights took place, with their strict rules and restrictions. By the way, Ivan the Terrible was very fond of such entertainments and this day was especially solemn and cheerful.
On Friday, they tried to speed up the wedding and find a lonely couple. Also on this day, mother-in-law invited the sons-in-law to pancakes and pies.
On Saturday they preferred to gather sisters-in-law and young daughters-in-law and arranged gatherings at the table.
On Sunday of that week, Maslenitsa, when it is celebrated, it is customary to ask for forgiveness from everyone for committed acts or random insults. That is why the last day of the week is called "forgiven Sunday."
Shrovetide when is celebrated?
There are no clear dates for the celebration: they are mobile and are different every year. Therefore, speaking about when Shrovetide is celebrated, we won’t be able to give a specific number, but we’ll give guidance: this is the eighth week before Lent. The whole week is accompanied by delicious food and drinks, thereby preparing the faithful for fasting.
Festivities
Shrovetide has always been accompanied by cheerful and carefree festivities. In Russia, it was considered a reckless, devastating week. Residents of villages, young and old, preferred to relax this week, ride a sled, slide, dress a straw woman in clothes, carry her on a sleigh. Fairs were also organized, where everyone considered it his duty to buy necessary and unnecessary trinkets. Treats were sold on the squares - pancakes with all kinds of fillings: sour cream, honey and caviar. You could treat yourself to beer or hot tea. Famous fist fights, masquerades were arranged, mummers walked. Shrovetide when celebrated, everyone has a good and cheerful mood.
Signs and customs
Shrovetide (when it is celebrated, we have already found out) is the time when all customs and signs are associated with pancakes.
- It is believed that if pancakes do not work, then wait for trouble and misfortune, but if the food is hot and rosy, good luck and happiness will accompany the family.
- A lot of pancakes - to enrichment and prosperity, not enough - the year will be lean and difficult.
- All year there will be no quarrels between the son-in-law and the mother-in-law if she feeds him delicious pancakes. Otherwise, quarrels cannot be avoided. But they often forget about the father-in-law, because he is the one who should invite the son-in-law on Sunday to "finish the ram," that is, for meat dinner.
- It is customary to treat pancakes to all friends and acquaintances, as well as to remember the dead, eating the first pancake in their honor.
- One of the most favorite entertainments at Shrovetide was considered a swing. It is generally accepted that the higher the swing rises, the richer the harvest will be. Signs and slides did not pass: the longer you travel, the longer the flax will grow in the fields.
- It was also believed that if, when Shrovetide is celebrated, festivities accompany rain, then you can expect a rich harvest of mushrooms in the forests. And if it’s frosty and cold in Shrovetide, then the summer will be warm.
- It was customary to celebrate Shrovetide days on a grand scale, without stinting on treats. If you meet Shrovetide with sadness, not having fun from the heart, then the rest of the year will be boring and dreary.
Attribute
Invariable attribute of Shrovetide - Kostroma. This is a fictional character who has become the epitome of spring and fertility. They created it with the help of straw, most often the scarecrow had the face of a girl. The "funeral" stuffed took place in a parody form. It was laid on boards or a stretcher. Worn around the village, brought to the church, then to the river and into the forest. The girls covered their heads with white shawls and mourned the deceased. At the head of the procession were guys dressed up as priests, in bast shoes and with a censer. Often such "funerals" ended with drowning or burning a scarecrow at the stake. This whole rite is connected with the idea of spring revival of nature. It was believed that without this ritual, nature would be unfavorable to the inhabitants of villages, the summer would be wet or dry, which would entail a crop failure and, consequently, poverty and ruin.
The days of Maslenitsa among the Russian people were considered the days of a holiday, unrestrained fun, parties. Shrovetide was a favorite holiday among many villagers, associated with the advent of spring, the revival of the forces of nature. Residents were looking forward to this week to have plenty of tasty and fatty foods before strict fasting. Also in Shrovetide it was customary to have fun, ride a sleigh, honor old people and newlyweds, and, of course, gobble up hot and ruddy pancakes. Today Maslenitsa has lost its meaning a little, but, nevertheless, in the soul of the Russian people it remains a merry, reckless and “tasty” holiday.