Maslenitsa. Spring welcome

1.

Maslenitsa

2.

Spring welcome
The tradition of Maslenitsa dates back to pagan times,
when Russian folk would bid farewell to winter and
welcome spring. As with many ancient holidays,
Maslenitsa (the stress being on the first syllable) has a
dual ancestry: pagan and Christian.
On the pagan side, Maslenitsa was celebrated on the
vernal equinox day. It marked the welcoming of spring,
and was all about the enlivening of nature and bounty
of sunny warmth.
On the Christian side, Maslenitsa was the last week before the onset of Lent
(fasting which precedes Easter), giving the last chance to bask in worldly
delights.
In the eyes of the church Maslenitsa is not just a week of merrymaking, but a
whole step-by-step procedure to prepare oneself for a long and exhausting
fasting, which, if observed properly, may be a real challenge.

3.

Traditional Maslenitsa Schedule
On Monday, Maslenitsa is greeted, then people have fun all
week, they woo, eat pancakes with stuffing and treat guests,
and on Sunday they already see off Maslenitsa, put up with
loved ones and burn an effigy.

4.

Pancakes
The name of the holiday, Maslenitsa (derived from maslo, which means butter or
oil in Russian) owes its existence to the tradition of baking pancakes (or blini , in
Russian). They are essential to the celebration of Maslenitsa.
On the one hand, hot, round, and golden, pancakes, as people believed, embody
a little of the sun’s grace and might, helping to warm up the frozen earth. In old
days pancakes were cooked from buckwheat flour, lending them a red color,
making the significance even more evident.
On the other hand, the circle has been considered a sacred figure in Russia,
protecting people from evil. Hence is the habit of going on horseback around
the settlement several times, decorating a cart wheel and carrying it on a pole
along the streets, and dancing the (k)horovod (round dance). Such ceremonies
Pancakes
also symbolize
birth
and the
death;
old make
Russiait akinder.
were believed
to butter (to
cajole)
Suninand
pancake was given to a woman in labor, and is a ritual
funeral repast in many homes.
At Maslenitsa pancakes are cooked in very large
quantities to be used in almost every ritual, they are
given to friends and family all through the week.
Pancakes are served with caviar , mushrooms, jam, sour
cream, and of course, lots of butter.

5.

The burning of Lady Maslenitsa
Lady Maslenitsa, made out of straw and clad in brightly-colored
garments, is the center of the celebration. It is carried around on
a pole or driven in sledges throughout the entire holiday week.
People sing songs about Maslenitsa, where it is referred to as a
real person, that accuse it of its rampant nature on the one hand
and responsible for the winter cold and the upcoming severe
Lent to come on the other.
The culmination of the holiday week is burning the effigy, which
takes place on Sunday, the Forgiveness Day. Unlike the usual
bonfires of brushwood and logs, this ceremonial fire was
“powered” by hay and old rags.
Once Lady Maslenitsa was reduced to ashes, they were either buried in the snow or
scattered across the fields to fertilize the future crops.
In the pre-Christian era instead of the effigy the real person was burnt, and torn into
parts and scattered in the fields to assure rich crops, but starting from the 17th
century, this tradition was banned.

6.

Nowadays
Every year Maslenitsa is celebrated by a large number of
people from different countries. Not only Christians, but
also modern Slavic pagans. You can easily find a festival
of Maslenitsa in almost any part of Russia.
For example, in Moscow they celebrate on a grand scale.
Folk festivals, theatrical performances, fun contests with
all kinds of prizes are waiting for the guests of the holiday
in parks and squares, literary lectures and master classes
are held in museums.

7.

The end