The burning of Shrovetide is a rite that is familiar today, probably, if not to all, then to most. But not all of our contemporaries know that initially this holiday was not Christian.
A few words about the history of Shrovetide
Why is Shrovetide taken a lot and satisfying to eat, have fun, arrange festivities and the burning of Shrovetide?
The custom came from pre-Christian times. Celebrations began a week before the spring solstice. On that March day, when the day becomes “on the chicken foot” longer than night, the Slavs went to wake the bear god Coma. They brought him the first pancake - a symbol of the sun. Usually a bear depicted a guy. He was awakened with the help of burning bunts, songs and dances. But he woke up only after the most daring girl sat on his back. After that, the walks gained momentum. Families and even entire clans of Slavs went to visit each other, ate a lot and had fun. They needed to saturate the body properly after a hungry winter, so that they had enough strength for spring agricultural work.
With the advent of Christianity in Russia, archpastors banned any pagan activities and holidays. In the 17th century, Shrovetide was introduced. But it was not possible to finally defeat the ancient Komoyeditsa. Until now, the festival is accompanied by revelry, abundant refreshments, a comic show of strength. The holiday ends with the burning of Shrovetide. Just as burning bunts were burned in Komoyeditsa, today a scarecrow is burned, symbolizing the past year. And the main food is the ancient pagan symbol of the Sun - pancake.
Shrovetide in Christianity
For us today Maslenitsa is the week before Lent. Special services are held in the church, and walks are in full swing on the streets. People go to visit each other, treat and treat themselves.
Shrovetide is also considered a family holiday. In the villages, the newlyweds who married last year were congratulated. A special entertainment was prepared for them: sleigh rides. For this, the young ones should have been properly treated to all walkers. If the treat was scanty or tasteless, the grief hosts were dipped face in the snow.
Today, everyone must have seen what a ritual called the burning of Shrovetide constitutes . The script for the final chord of a bright holiday is known even in cities. However, earlier bonfires were burned for a week. They threw old things, broken utensils, torn clothes. These bonfires served as a symbol of purification and renewal. Events were held on the square, which was decorated with a tall pillar - a symbol of the spring sun.
Today, the burning of Shrovetide (photos are presented in the article) is carried out in many countries of the world, in any case where there are Russian communities.
Pancake week rules
Perhaps for many, the basic rules of Pancake Week will be a revelation. However, one must remember: a holiday with pagan roots had not only mystical-religious, but also a purely functional significance. Hence, many of his rules.
- At Maslenitsa you can eat anything but meat and meat products. The carnivore (the so-called period between Christmas and Great Lent) ends on the eve of Shrovetide, on Sunday.
- Once a year, on Pancake week, plentiful food should become a form of life. There are proverbs that you need to eat as many times as crows bark or wave the tail of a dog. This custom is also rooted in pre-Christian times. Starving for the winter, people would not be able to do spring work. They should have accumulated strength. That is why during the Maslenitsa week you need to go on a visit, call the guests to your place.
The more plentiful, more fun and satisfying Maslenitsa will take place, our ancestors thought, the richer and more successful the coming year will be.
Maslenitsa week
All days of the holiday week have their own name and purpose.
- On Monday, the construction of snow fortresses was completed and pancakes began to be baked. The very first was given to the poor to commemorate the dead. The daughter-in-law was sent to the parents, and then they themselves went to visit the matchmakers. We agreed on where they would walk in the evening. Made from straw Pancake week. The first day of the festivities was called the Meeting.
- Weddings were held on Tuesday. Parents chose a bride for the groom, so that immediately after Easter they would marry the young. The day was called Flirting.
- On Wednesday, the son-in-law went to visit the mother-in-law and ate pancakes with them. In Gourmands, the character of the groom was determined: an angry or stingy man chose pancakes with salty filling. On Wednesday the Narrow Maslenitsa ended and the Broad began.
- Thursday is the most reckless day, which they called it: Walk around.
- On Friday, the mother-in-law went to her son-in-law's evenings.
- On Saturday, the Zolovkina gatherings were celebrated.
- And then came the Forgiveness Sunday. The old pictures “Burning Shrovetide” that have reached us show how the revelry gradually subsided.
The Pancake week train drove a scarecrow into the field. There he was burned with songs and round dances, and the ashes were scattered across the field.
A special service was held in the church, and people asked each other for forgiveness. After Forgiveness Sunday Great Lent began.