This bright holiday of farewell to the winter begancelebrate a few thousand years ago. Of course, in those early days, customs were different. The Slavs worshiped the elements and natural phenomena, pagan tradition and gave birth to Pancake week.
Это один из немногих праздников, который дошел до us almost in its original form. With the advent of Christianity, Slavic customs began to be actively eradicated. Perhaps, Pancake week has survived because the tradition of the spring meeting was consonant with Christian values. Today people are waiting for this holiday since the winter, presenting how they will eat delicious pancakes and talk in a friendly company. Children themselves create a scarecrow, which is then burned with their parents.
Тем, кто интересуется, как провести Масленицу, you must first learn about the history of the holiday, which carries a lot of interesting facts. Everyone knows that this holiday symbolizes the departure of winter and calls for spring. Initially, it was celebrated on the day of the spring solstice, and after the christening of Russia was postponed for a week before the Great Lent. So the pagan tradition became an official church holiday. And now the Maslenitsa week is not tied to a specific day, but is celebrated according to the number of Easter falls, and the scarecrow is burned on Sunday.
Maslenitsa has many other, pagan, names, for example Pancake, Colody, Hollow, Maslenaya, Krivosheika.
Previously, the festivities for Shrovetide lasted a whole week.Slavs not only ate pancakes and burned a scarecrow, but also arranged dances and gatherings. It was believed that the fun will attract a rich harvest, and it should be asked in the spring - before the start of the planting season.
Now there are many events in honor of this celebration. Maslenitsa in the park is a good idea for families with children and familiarizing them with Russian history and traditions.
The Carnival season can be divided into two parts:Narrow Maslenitsa (the first three days are marked) and Broad (the last four). In the first days it was allowed to work and engage in economic troubles. In the last work was strictly forbidden, it was possible only to bake pancakes, go on a visit and make merry ceremonies. Now they are walking not only in the villages, but also in the big cities. Particularly cheerful turns Carnival in Moscow. People are walking in the park. Gorky (metro station Oktyabrskaya), in the park "Museon" (Krymsky Val), in Babushkinsky Park. Not less popular parks are Lianozovsky, Ostankinsky, Izmailovsky and others.
In parks there are fairs, metochions are created,imitating the ancient Russian settlements, "revive" all the rites and beliefs. Performing musical groups, representing ethno, rock and folk trends. Children can play in the historical thematic games organized for them by the organizers of the holiday. People are treated to pancakes and tea. Those who wish can participate in contests and win prizes.
Every day has its own name andcustoms, accompanying him. Monday is the Maslenitsa meeting. In ancient times on this day it was customary to visit my parents. A good husband had to let his wife go to visit his father and mother. And in the evening the whole family gathered together and made plans for the holiday. It was on Monday that it was decided who would be invited to visit, what would be cooked.
There is another custom - to bake the first pancake andgive it to a beggar. It was believed that a good deed would be reckoned by deceased relatives. On Monday they were preparing a scarecrow. The doll was made from the materials that were at hand - old rags and straw. The scarecrow was seated in a sleigh and carried around the village. So began the Carnival. Sunday is the day when the scarecrow was burned.
Tuesday is a holiday of jokes and laughter.It was necessary to play someone. The same day the youth was having fun. Unmarried girls and single boys went together to ride sleighs and eat food. Often on Tuesday, matchmaking took place.
Wednesday is a mother-in-law's day. She invited her son-in-law to taste pancakes, which she prepared herself. On this day it was customary to leave all family quarrels aside and thank mother-in-law for a good daughter.
Thursday - the beginning of the Shrovetide.Work from this day was forbidden. All the work stopped, and the festivities began on Shrovetide. This day has many traditional names: Fracture, Razgulay, Pad, Vlasje. It was decided to arrange skating and sledding races, lead round dances and hold competitions in physical strength.
In the evening, the strolling people sat down to eat.And at dusk we made huge bonfires, sang songs and jumped over the fire. It was believed that on Thursday everyone should leave behind their quarrels and negative energy. For this, they organized fist fights, when everyone could deal with the offender and safely forget about discord.
Friday is the day when the mother-in-law was visiting her son-in-law. Pancakes was supposed to cook wife. On Friday, we rested from the noisy festivities and spent the day with the family.
Saturday - the day on which all young bridesshould have invited their sister-in-law and presented them with a gift. Also on a visit called the entire family of her husband. In the Christian tradition, the Sabbath is the day of the celebration of the Cathedral of the Reverend Fathers.
A week goes by and comes to the end of the walk,ends Shrovetide. Sunday is the day when the beginning of the Great Lent is marked. It has long been customary to behave modestly, noisy celebrations were not encouraged. Now this day is called Forgiveness Sunday. By tradition, a scarecrow was burned, which was prepared on Monday. We asked for forgiveness from relatives and friends. It was believed that it was necessary to apologize even to those who did not do evil. In response, one should say: "God will forgive."
Those who want to know how to spend Shrovetide inaccordance with ancient customs, it will be interesting to read about the traditional symbols of the celebration. This holiday brought to modern times such a well-known saying as “The first pancake is a lump”. Few people know that in the primary version it sounded like “The first pancake - coma”.
Первыми лакомство получали бедные, а потом it was the turn to feed the bears - clods. In the Old Russian state, the adult brown bear was called a lump and revered as the owner of the forest. In some northern regions of his first fed, and only then - the poor and the poor. Arranged a solemn ceremony of awakening of the beast from hibernation.
It was accepted to put on the table additionalplates and appliances, as if inviting the departed relatives to share food with those who are now living, and also enjoy spring. The effigy symbolized not only cold and winter, but also death. It was believed that the ritual bonfire would scare away adversity and call spring and warmth.
The most important symbol is pancakes. Not a single day of Shrovetide week did without them. Pancakes were chosen because they resemble the sun, and fatty food symbolizes life and joy.
Each hostess had their own recipes for Shrovetide.It was customary to keep them secret and surprise guests with unusual dishes. How to hold Pancake Day is not only fun, but also delicious? You need to learn from the ancient Slavs.
Some traditional recipes for Shrovetide come downand to our days. Here are the most successful and simple ones: in a plastic bottle (of course, they didn’t do that a few centuries ago, but this is a good life hacking for cooks - it’s very convenient to pour batter into the pan) mix 0.5 liters of milk, some sugar and 2 spoons of vegetable oil , a couple of eggs, a pinch of salt and a half cups of flour. Shake well. Dough is ready.
A great recipe for gourmets:Mix 250 ml of water, milk and plain yogurt, add 2 eggs, add salt, sugar, flour (one and a half cups) and a pinch of baking powder. Stir and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Bake like regular pancakes.
Каждая хозяйка старается разнообразить привычные pancakes with original fillings. Women wrap various ingredients in them, invent interesting combinations of them. The most unusual are such combinations of products for the filling: avocado and bacon, blue cheese and garlic, herring and pickled cucumbers.
How to spend Shrovetide on Slavic custom?Before, the winter farewell was celebrated for two weeks. It must be said that the ancient Slavs had a remarkable supply of health - no joke, walk 14 days in a row! According to pagan traditions, Maslenitsa began a week before the day of the vernal equinox and ended 7 days after it.
For those who want to plunge into Shrovetide in Paganismthe park will not work. For two weeks the Slavs worshiped the god Yarila - the patron of the sun and life. He was also considered the patron saint of male and female power, therefore young and free were especially active in walking. It was believed that Yarylo would help melt the snow and warm the land for sowing, and young boys and girls - to find their own destiny and create a strong family.
The word "Carnival" is a tribute to the Christian tradition.This means that it is allowed to eat butter, fish and milk a week before fasting. But the use of meat is prohibited. There is another interesting option from linguists and historians: some scholars believe that the name is associated with the Slavic goddess Leleu (Maslenitsa is one of its names). She was considered the patroness of beauty and could appear in the form of a tender maiden or a big-breasted beauty. On Shrovetide she was a people with rosy cheeks, full of health and vitality. She was one of the most revered goddesses of the Slavic pantheon, but information about her was almost not preserved.
