Russian Pancake Week is a fun festivities at the junction of winter and spring. This festival itself was inherited from pagan ancestors, who also dressed up a scarecrow, symbolizing winter, and then put it on fire. It so happened that today Maslenitsa is often confused with the Cheese week before Lent: historically it turned out that after the adoption of Christianity , the pagan holiday lost its original meaning, but coincided in time with the threshold of Lent.
History of the origin of the name of the holiday
Why is Shrovetide called Shrovetide? This is a very interesting question, the study of which at one time was studied by various etymological scientists. Several legends have survived to this day related to the birth of this name.
One of the versions why Shrovetide is called Shrovetide is closely related to the old Russian tradition of baking pancakes. Tired of winter, cold and snow, people thus tried to attract the grace of the gentle sun and persuade him to better warm the frozen Russian soil. For this purpose, pancakes were prepared, which in this case were the symbol of the star. In addition, in Russian villages it was customary to carry out various actions, ceremonies, one way or another connected with the circle: for example, people brightly decorated a wheel from a cart and carried it along the street on a pole, traveled around the village on horseback several times and drove traditional round dances. Our ancestors were sure that such actions “appease” the Sun, that is, they help appease it. Hence the name of one of the most fun and bright holidays in the Slavic culture.
There is another opinion as to why Shrovetide is called Shrovetide. According to this version, the holiday was so named because, according to the Orthodox tradition, this week the meat is already deleted from the diet, and dairy products are still allowed. That's why people bake butter pancakes. By the way, it was for the same reason that over time Maslenitsa was called the Cheese Week.
If other legends are to be believed, then the answer to the question of why Shrovetide is called Shrovetide takes us far, far to the North, and the father of this holiday is Frost. According to legend, in the midst of the saddest and harshest time of the year, winter, a man saw Shrovetide hiding between the giant snowdrifts, and called her to help people with her warmth, to amuse and warm them. And she came to the call, however, she came not from the fragile girl who was hiding in the middle of a snowy forest from a man, but from a beautiful woman with cheeks rosy and oil-greasy, an insidious sparkle in her eyes and loud laughter. She managed to make many people completely forget about winter for a week, so contagious she had fun and danced. And subsequently, it was in her honor that the holiday received its name.
How was the Pancake week?
The celebration of Maslenitsa, as you know, lasted a week. Moreover, each day of these seven has its own name, which speaks of what you need to do on this day. Of course, in the modern world it is quite difficult to observe all the customs and rituals of the old holiday, because now Maslenitsa has finally lost its festive status and has become a regular working week. However, it will still be very interesting to learn about ancient traditions and rites. In the days of Shrovetide, it was the duty of everyone to help drive away the winter and awaken the sleeping nature.
Day 1. Monday. "A meeting"
Shrovetide began on this day. The history and traditions of the celebration are interesting in their own right. Usually on this day, people arranged and rolled out ice slides. People believed that the longer the sleigh or slide would roll, the louder the louder ringing over the hill, the richer the harvest in the fall, the longer the flax would grow. And in order for the plants to grow faster, according to popular beliefs, one should ride on a swing, and the higher the better. In addition, on Monday, people chose a place on the hillside where they installed the Pancake week doll.
Day 2. Tuesday. "Flirting"
All fun games began at our ancestors on Tuesday: on this day they built booths, rode horses, went to visit each other. For fun and fun, traditionally treated to delicious pancakes.
Day 3. Wednesday. Gourmet
If the history of Shrovetide is gradually forgotten, then this very day, “Gourmet”, is well known and remembered even in the 21st century. The name of this day speaks for itself: on Wednesday, the hostesses acted according to an old saying: “What is in the oven - everything is on the table of swords!” And in the main place among the huge abundance of dishes, of course, there were pancakes. There was a custom according to which the first pancake should be given to a random passerby in order to commemorate the deceased, the second to his mother, the third to his father, the next three to his brothers and sisters, and the seventh usually went to the smallest member of the family.
Day 4. Thursday. "Go for a walk"
"Walk around" - the fourth day of the celebration of Shrovetide. On Thursday, people staged traditional horseback riding “in the sun” (that is, clockwise around the village) - of course, to help the celestial luminary to drive the winter away completely. And the main "male" business was considered to be the defense or capture of the "snow town". The people were divided into two teams, with one occupying the position of spring, and the second desperately “protecting” the winter. In the end, spring necessarily won.
Day 5. Friday. "The Nights of the Evening"
Meanwhile, the Shrovetide continued. On Friday, the son-in-law went to his mother-in-law, who, in turn, regaled her son-in-law with delicious hot pancakes. A miniature charm doll, the so-called “home Shrovetide”, was necessarily put in the window. She should have been turned over three times, saying: “Turn away with evil, turn to good.”
Day 6. Saturday. "Zolovkin gatherings"
"Zolovkina gatherings", as well as "Gourmand", are known to this day. On this day, it was customary to visit all relatives and enjoy pancakes.
Day 7. Sunday. Forgiven Day
The final day of the celebration was “forgiven Sunday”, when one should ask forgiveness from relatives, friends and acquaintances for the offenses caused. After that, the Shrovetide party took place, with cheerful dances and songs.
And so the Maslenitsa week passed at our ancestors . At all times, people have sought to celebrate it as richer, more satisfying and more fun, because it was believed that if Shrovetide is so celebrated, then the whole next year will be equally prosperous and well-fed. There was even a belief that not to make fun during the wide Maslenitsa was not good, it meant "living in bitter grief and ending an evil life." In general, the history of Maslenitsa is very interesting, and all the traditions associated with it cannot be fit into one article.
“Pancake traditions”
Finally, we will tell you some more interesting facts about the main attribute of the holiday - pancakes. Our ancestors believed that, along with Pancake week pancakes, heat and power of the Sun itself were transferred to them. Each housewife tried her best not to be ashamed, to treat her guests plentifully and tasty. It is interesting that each had his own, “secret” recipe for making pancakes, transmitted exclusively through the female line.
Real Russian pancakes were prepared from buckwheat flour, thanks to which they acquired a special friability and sour taste. Many added semolina or millet porridge, apples, potatoes, and cream to them. Of course, during the Pancake week it was possible to buy pancakes on every corner, and in snack bars and restaurants they were traditionally served with sour cream, whipped cream, honey and jam, and sometimes with caviar, sprats, herring or mushrooms. Pancakes were usually washed down with milk or tea, in particular there was the so-called sbiten - a delicious drink made of water, spices and honey.