Meat, Zvonchaty, Wedding with a pine tree, Carnival - all this is the name of one holiday for different peoples. We used to call it just Shrovetide. This is the border between winter and spring. At the end of Maslenitsa, Great Lent comes. The main task of which is to prepare people for Easter.
Bit of history
Shrovetide is a common folk name that we usually use, but in reality this period is called Cheese Week. The origins of this celebration are rooted in the depths of pagan times. In pre-Christian Russia, this holiday was timed to coincide with the vernal equinox. The fun lasted as long as 14 days. In those days, Shrovetide was distinguished by a special expanse: booths were arranged, villagers gathered together to greet each other and have a noisy time. Women, children, adolescents chose high slides and organized sledding, all this was accompanied by a cheerful laugh. Men preferred to measure strength with their relatives and neighbors, organized sports competitions and fist fights.
Each housewife considered it her duty to cook as much delicious food as possible. Particular attention was paid to pancakes, they were cooked with different fillings. It was not for nothing that this dish was chosen as a symbol of the holiday.
In anticipation of spring, people wanted to attract as much sunlight as possible. Damn fits the role of a celestial body - the same yellow and hot. With the adoption of Christianity, many pagan holidays were canceled. But they decided to leave Shrovetide, although the time of fun shifted and became less. This was done in order not to violate the rules of Lent.
According to church canons
Answering the question: "Cheese week - what is it?" - we can say that this is a great Christian holiday, which is considered the harbinger of Lent. It is celebrated seven weeks before Easter. The people called this period - Meat. All because it was impossible to eat meat products. During this period, the diet consisted of eggs, butter and dairy products. For believers and ministers of the church, the Cheese Week is especially important, it is the starting point for preparing for Lent. Christians, in addition to refusing meat, must observe special severity in their behavior. You can not give in to fun, entertainment and revelry.
Modern celebration
Today, many do not adhere to church canons. Modern people believe that the Cheese Week (Shrovetide) is just another reason for fun and relaxation from workdays.
Maslenitsa Week
It was believed that Shrovetide should be fun and grand. It was believed that in this way you can attract good luck for the next year. It is worth noting that each day of the Cheese Week is assigned a role. During the week, it was necessary to perform special rituals.
Seven days are divided into narrow Shrovetide and wide.
First half
Monday. On this day in the morning, all the housewives started cooking pancakes, and it was also special for young girls preparing to get married. We met matchmakers, discussed the wedding menu and made a list of guests. Married women went to their parents, and the next morning, the husband came to visit them with his relatives.
The first baked pancakes were distributed to the poor and homeless, and they, in turn, had to pray for deceased relatives. Residents of several settlements met, chose especially snowy places, brought pancakes and tea with them. During the walk, a scarecrow was built, which personified the outgoing winter. He was dressed up in old clothes and rolled on a sleigh. Thus paid tribute to the winter months. Toward night, the scarecrow was installed in a conspicuous place - near the village or in the city center. This day is called Meeting.
Tuesday. On this day, fairs and visits were arranged. Weddings were held among the youth, and after Great Lent it was possible to play a wedding. The future husband and wife should have spent all this time together. The boys entertained their girls, rode on snow slides and sang praising songs. Those tried to show their skills in preparing various dishes, which were treated to future suitors.
Wednesday. This day of the week was dedicated to the family. Mistresses set a large table. If the son-in-law came to visit, he had to be carefully looked after, showed signs of special attention, so that he felt like a dear guest. If there were fights before, it was the best day to make peace. Large tables were also set up on the street, this united the inhabitants of the villages and helped to settle the previous quarrels.
The second half of Shrovetide
Thursday. It was the noisiest and most fun day of Shrovetide celebration . The hostesses completed all the housework. The cheese week was an indicator of how cheerful and friendly the Slavic people were. What kind of games and undertakings did they come up with: dizzying roller-coaster rides, swings, carousels. Competitions in eating pancakes. Men could show their strength to courage and resourcefulness - during comic defenses and the taking of snow castles. People believed that by jumping over a fire, they help the sun gain strength and quickly drive away the cold winter.
On Thursday they organized fist fights and worshiped Veles - this is the god who protects pets. That is why the first pancakes of this day were fed to horses and cows.
Friday. This day was dedicated to mother-in-law. The sons-in-law invited them to visit, treated and showed all their respect. On the eve of Friday, the mother-in-law passed on food and utensils so that pancakes could be prepared. It was cow butter, buckwheat flour, a ladle and a frying pan. If one of the parties did not fulfill its part of the duties, this caused enmity and quarrels.
Saturday. This day was called Zolovkina gatherings. The bride gathered all the relatives of her husband, but special attention was paid to the sister-in-law, her husband’s sister. She had to prepare and present a gift to the hostess. The young wife treated the guests with various dishes, once again proving her skills. If the girl was unmarried, she invited friends to visit. The fair sex, who were engaged, made gifts to their relatives.
The last day of the Cheese Week
Sunday. On this day, the Cheese Week ended. Coming to the end of the celebration and the living room. One of the traditions of this day is the whistle. For this, we used whistles made in the form of birds. Thus, people urged birds to return to their native land.
At the meeting, people bowed low to each other and
asked for forgiveness for all insults and omissions. They made bonfires, driving away winter and inviting spring. The highlight of the day was the burning of a scarecrow. Leftovers of holiday food were thrown at him. After the fire there was only ashes that people collected and scattered on their fields or rivers. They thought this would help awaken the sleeping earth.
They cleaned the houses and prepared for the main holiday - Easter. For the whole evening it was possible to go up to the table seven times. And finally, get him together as a family to live in harmony next year.
Then they did not clean it, it was covered with a tablecloth and sheep’s fur. Before sunset, it was necessary to visit the cemetery to pay tribute to the dead. Pancakes were left on the graves. On Sunday, they drank very little and went to bed before midnight.
Fasting
Cheese week: what can I eat? In the Christian church this week is also called Meat. For the reason that the presence of meat in food is completely excluded. The use of pancakes with cheese during this post is welcome, and therefore it is called Cheese Week. The food these days is simple: dairy products, fish, eggs.
Matrimonial duty during Shrovetide
Many couples who observe fasting have the question of whether the church permits marital relations in the Cheese Week. Pancake week itself is not a strict fast. On the one hand, meat is not allowed, but on the other, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, butter can be. Then it follows that the absence of a married couple in the church does not imply the need for abstinence these days. If the man and woman are Orthodox Christians, then they can make a decision here after consulting with a spiritual mentor.
Shrovetide in 2015
Cheese week in 2015 fell from February 16 to 22. Preparation for Shrovetide must begin in advance. Do the cleaning in all rooms.
If the house has a stove, it must be completely put in order, cleaned, whitened. Also, every housewife should stock up on flour, butter, eggs and various sweets during the holiday.