How to properly spend the Pancake Week: Flirting, roaming, mother-in-law parties and other ancient traditions

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Shrovetide is one of the most mischievous and beloved pagan holidays, which is celebrated to this day. The celebrations take place throughout the whole week. Moreover, each of the seven days has its own traditions and rituals. This year, the beginning of the festive week coincided with International Women's Day - March 8, and the final of the Maslenitsa celebration fell on March 14.

Brief history of the holiday

Maslenitsa is an ancient Slavic holiday, the origins of which have been observed since pagan times. Many scholars believe that this holiday dates back to antiquity. In pre-Christian times, Maslenitsa was timed to coincide with the spring equinox, that is, the celebration was on March 22. It was celebrated for two weeks: seven days before the vernal equinox and seven days after it.

The holiday was dedicated to seeing off winter and meeting spring. The Slavs organized merry and noisy festivities to help the spring drive away winter as soon as possible. Our ancestors believed that if you do not have fun at Shrovetide, the year will be poor, lean and joyless.

But, with the adoption of Christianity, the date of the celebration began to depend on the sacred holiday of Easter, and the festivities were reduced to seven days. Shrovetide became a week of forgiveness, repentance and reconciliation, as well as preparation for Great Lent.

In the old days, the week of Shrovetide was called Cheese Week, which was filled with thoughts about the terrible judgment of Christ. During this week, all believers were forbidden to eat meat, but fish, cheese and other dairy products were allowed. The church did not allow excessive fun and gluttony, but, on the contrary, instructed to prepare for fasting.

Maslenitsa week

The festive week is formally divided into two parts: from Monday to Wednesday - narrow, from Thursday to Sunday - wide. During the first period, they are mainly engaged in cleaning, cooking and preparing for the celebration. In the second period, accordingly, magnificent festivities are arranged and any housework is prohibited.

As in the old days, and now, pancakes are the main treat. They are made every day and in large quantities. In Pancake Week, each day has its own name and traditions that must be followed.

Day one - Meeting of Maslenitsa

Monday is the first day of the Maslenitsa celebration. In the morning, the father-in-law, as a rule, sent their daughters-in-law to visit their parents. And in the evening they themselves joined them to feed the matchmakers with pancakes. On this day, they also completed the preparatory work for entertainment: they installed swings, made snow fortresses and ice slides. But the main tradition on Monday was baking the first pancake, which was not eaten by themselves, but given to the poor. This was done so that they remembered the souls of their deceased relatives.

Day Two - Flirting (Matchmaking)

Tuesday was devoted to the bride. Boys and girls walked together that day to look at each other. Since the fast began soon, during which it is impossible to celebrate the wedding, the young people had time to prepare for the celebration of the celebration after Easter. And those who were already married invited relatives and friends to visit. It was believed that the more abundant the table, the richer the year will be.

Day three - Gourmet (Modest Wednesday)

Wednesday is the day when you need to go to your mother-in-law for pancakes. Moreover, not only a son-in-law could come, but also his relatives, as well as friends. On this day, the mother-in-law was especially sweet and generous, trying in every possible way to please her son-in-law. The guests who came with him should praise the mother-in-law in front of the son-in-law, saying how lucky he was with her. It was believed that the more hospitable the hostess was, the better the new family would treat her daughter.

Day four - Revelry or Revelry (Broad Thursday)

Thursday is the time of the beginning of wide festivities. From that day on, any housework was considered a bad omen. Therefore, people could only walk and have fun. Traditional entertainments in Russia were considered: round dances, songs, dances, snowball games, horseback riding, fist fights, various competitions and contests, jumping over a fire, and, of course, eating pancakes in sufficient quantities. No one was at home that day, everyone was trying to have fun. In Russia, they believed that everyone who does not have fun on this day will be unhappy for the whole next year.

Day 5 - Mother-in-law's evening

On Friday, the mother-in-law made a return visit. Now she was pleased in every possible way and treated to pancakes, which her daughter baked that day. The mother-in-law did not come to visit alone, but with her friends, whom she wanted to show that she had raised an economic daughter and married her off to a good young man.

Day six - Cousin's gatherings

On Saturday, the daughters-in-law invited their sister-in-law (the husband's sisters) to visit. Girlfriends and other female relatives were also invited. Moreover, if the sisters-in-law are family, then the girlfriends were also called married, if free, then the unmarried girlfriends. The girls had a tea party with pancakes, gossiped, talked about their own, about girls. The daughters-in-law tried to prepare small gifts for all the guests, this was considered a good omen.

Day Seven - Seeing Off (Forgiveness Sunday)

Sunday is the final of the festive week. On this day, before Great Lent, a spell was performed. Sunday is called forgiven, because on this day it is customary to ask each other for forgiveness and say in response: - "God will forgive, and I forgive." It is also customary to commemorate the dead and visit the cemeteries where relatives are buried. The Sunday before Lent is the last day when you can eat food of animal origin. During the send-off, they tried to eat up or distribute to the beggars all the food that was prepared during the week. If, nevertheless, some of the food remained, then it was burned, since it was considered a bad omen to throw away food or let it go bad.

During the day, they usually went to the bathhouse, and in the evening they gathered in the main square to burn a scarecrow of Maslenitsa there. The ashes that remained after the burning were collected to sprinkle on the fields. Our ancestors believed that this ceremony would help increase yields next year.

What not to do on Pancake Week

Despite the fact that Maslenitsa is a joyful and cheerful holiday, it has a number of limitations. For example, you cannot get married this week. It is also undesirable to sit alone. Our ancestors were skeptical of hermits.

On Shrovetide, one should not be angry, swear, use foul language and conceal resentment. After all, after the celebrations, Great Lent begins, and you need to spiritually prepare for it in advance.

You should not refuse guests who want to visit, and you yourself should not forget about return visits, because this is one of the main traditions of Maslenitsa. They accept guests only in a tidy and tidy house, so you need to try to put things in order in the first three days of Pancake Week. There must be a variety of pancakes with various fillings on the table. But, since in Christianity gluttony is a great sin, you should not still overeat on Shrovetide. This is especially true for those who are going to observe Great Lent.