Thursday - go wild. Name of the days of Maslenitsa week
The 4th day of Maslenitsa, or as it is also called - take a walk - is celebrated on a grand scale. This time was special in holding events. Many traditions of celebrating Maslenitsa have been preserved to this day. Merry celebrations, carols, sledding and various kinds of competitions attracted many people.
For a long time, Maslenitsa was celebrated for several days, each of which was marked with special events. The last week before Lent was spent not only in lavish festivities, but also in eating large quantities of pancakes, which were baked in different styles. Walking Thursday was a particularly exciting day.
Celebrating the 4th day of Maslenitsa
On Maslenitsa, a big celebration began on this day. All work stopped on Thursday and people gathered for a ceremonial farewell to winter. You could watch exciting fist fights, performances performed in funny costumes, take part in tug of war, etc.
The third day of Maslenitsa was called lakomka. According to tradition, at this time the mother-in-law had to make pancakes for her son-in-law, who came to her in the evening. This period was famous for its wide gatherings. Guests gathered at a large table and ate pancakes, which were prepared according to different recipes. Everyone showed off their dish. Gourmand is a day when you could eat a lot of everything without denying yourself anything. The son-in-law, as a rule, came to his mother-in-law not alone, but with his relatives.
Lakomka is a day of sweets and long gatherings, during which songs were sung.
Maslenitsa Thursday was traditionally considered the day when all conflicts need to be resolved.
This is a time of truce, because you need to enter into Lent only after eliminating all grievances and disagreements with your neighbors. The last day for this will be Sunday.
It will be interesting for everyone to know what meaning was put into Wide Thursday, because seeing off Maslenitsa is still relevant. This day was a kind of outburst of negative energy that took place and accumulated over the winter.
Thursday was called Kolyadukha for a reason. During this period, carols were sung.
Maslenitsa traditions on Thursday
Razgulay was also famous for such extreme entertainment as jumping over a fire. This custom comes from pagan times. Girls and boys made a fire and took turns jumping over it. A storm of emotions accompanied this process.
The name “fracture” also came into use. This period was considered a turning point in the celebration of Maslenitsa. Spring was coming into its own. Thursday, called Butter Carol, was famous for various entertainments, one of which was dressing up. Many dressed up in funny and sometimes scary costumes, got dirty in soot and scared passersby.
According to the traditions of our ancestors, revelry Thursday was famous for the cheerful carols sung by boys and girls.
They went from house to house with musical instruments, asking permission from the owners to sing a merry carol. After a cheerful song, the instigators of the small celebration were treated to sweets, pancakes and wine. This day was a time of real abundance, when the tables were laden with food and drinks. Thursday revelry was the most fun day in the solemn farewell to winter. The grandeur of the ice slides that were being built at that time was breathtaking.
Four days of unbridled fun smoothly turned into Friday. On this day, Maslenitsa gradually enters its final stage. Mother-in-law's evenings were accompanied by gatherings. The son-in-law had to invite his wife's mother to his place and treat her in return. Friday is a cozy evening in a family atmosphere.
The last Maslenitsa, which was celebrated by the people, fell on Sunday, on which the final farewell to winter took place. It is on this day that it is customary to ask each other for forgiveness and burn a traditional effigy.
Each day of Maslenitsa has its own name.
First day of Maslenitsa: Monday - “meeting”
Oh yes Maslenitsa
He's moving into the yard!
The wide one is moving into the yard!
Oh yes, Maslenitsa,
Broad, stay for a week,
A week!
These are the songs the girls and boys sang, took a straw effigy - Maslenitsa - and walked around the village with it. The sedate people began celebrating Maslenitsa by visiting their relatives. By the first day of Maslenitsa, public slides, swings, booths for buffoons, and tables with sweet dishes were built.
The children made snow slides, rode until they dropped, and also went from house to house in a gang and shouted: “Serve for Maslenitsa, for Lent!”
They screamed until the owners brought out old rags for them. The guys collect all sorts of things and take it all to a high place, haul brushwood and light the fire. Such a fire was called an “oil can.” Children dance around the fire and sing: “Burn, burn clearly, so that it doesn’t go out!”
The second day of Maslenitsa - “flirts”
In the morning, young girls were invited to sled on the mountains, eat pancakes, girls' swings were arranged, horseback riding, and snow towns were erected.
The most favorite thing to do on Maslenitsa is to ride on boards filled with water and frozen in the cold. The roots were replaced by sleds and sleds. For skating, a reel of thick logs and poles was built on a steep bank. Such a reel had a “run” (“run”) of up to three hundred meters, so that the skating experience would take your breath away.
Children and adults rode on regular sleds, on chunks (a sled with a chair), on goats or skates, or trumpets (a sled with a railing and a steering wheel - a skate on a board so that it could be controlled). The kids rode on ice boats (ladeykas) - this is a small board, pointed in front and hollowed out like a trough. Even children rode on sheaves of straw and on old calf skins in whole crews and groups.
People used to say: whoever slides down the hill the farthest will have long flax in his house, and the butter will churn well. So the guys tried.
The third day of Maslenitsa - “gourmet”
Aunt Varvara,
my mother sent me:
Give me some frying pans and a frying pan,
flour and lubricants.
There is water in the oven, the oven wants pancakes.
Where there are pancakes, here we are.
On this day, people feasted on pancakes and other Maslenitsa dishes. Pancakes were baked in an endless variety: wheat, barley, oat, buckwheat, from unleavened and sour dough.
People used to say: “A pancake is not a wedge, it won’t split your belly.”
Mothers-in-law invited their sons-in-law to pancakes for “gourmet treats,” and invited all their relatives to entertain their beloved son-in-law.
The fourth day of Maslenitsa - “Broad Thursday” - “revelry, turning point”
This day was the middle of the butter feast: three days behind, three days ahead. On this day they walked from morning to evening, danced, danced in circles, sang ditties.
The newlyweds were put in a sleigh and brought down the mountain and forced to kiss in front of everyone. If anyone refused, they pushed them into the snow and covered them up to their necks...
On this day they also went out to “kulaks” - to fist fights. According to the rules, it was forbidden to hide something heavy in a mitten or hit below the belt or on the back of the head. In a word, in any fight, a Russian fighter should have remembered honor and not lost his head. They met on the river and fought “itself against oneself” or “wall to wall”.
Fifth day of Maslenitsa - mother-in-law evening - guest day
They used to say: “Even though mother-in-law’s pancakes are sweet, mother-in-law’s sons-in-law treat them to Maslenaya.”
On mother-in-law's evenings, sons-in-law treat their mothers-in-law to pancakes. Invitations can be honorary, with all the relatives for lunch, or just for one dinner. In the old days, the son-in-law was obliged to personally invite his mother-in-law in the evening, and then in the morning he sent elegant invitees. The more people were invited, the more honors the mother-in-law received.
The girls carried out pancakes in a bowl on their heads at noon. They walked to the slide. The guy who was in love with the girl was in a hurry to taste the blink, to find out: would she make a good mistress? After all, she stood by the stove this morning, making pancakes.
The sixth day of Maslenitsa - sister-in-law's gatherings
Maslenitsa is already getting old. Finally, her farewell was celebrated. The young daughter-in-law invited her relatives to her sister-in-law's gatherings. If the sisters-in-law were still girls, then the daughter-in-law called her old girl friends; if they were married, then she invited married relatives and took the guests to their sisters-in-law with the whole train. The newlywed daughter-in-law was obliged to present her sisters-in-law with gifts. Maslenitsa was, as it were, an excuse to get together and gossip about this and that.
In the evening they burned Maslenitsa. At first, the effigy of Maslenitsa was surrounded with honor, and then taken out of the outskirts and burned.
So from time immemorial, in a cheerful, carnival manner, with imagination, with abundant refreshments and forgiveness, the people saw off the winter, welcomed the spring, as if they wanted to take a walk and have fun throughout Lent.
The seventh day of Maslenitsa - Forgiveness Sunday - farewell, ceremony
From morning until lunch, godfathers walk around, visiting each other to give gifts. On this day in Rus', everyone, young and old, asked each other for forgiveness: “Forgive me, take the blame away from me!” or “Forgive me if anything went wrong between us,” “Forgive me, a sinner, for Lent!” For their faults, for their annoyances with each other, our ancestors with open souls asked for forgiveness and prayed to forget the grievances, to establish harmony among themselves and not to keep evil in their minds. Children bowed Fall at the feet of your parents and ask for forgiveness for all the grief caused to them. Farewell consisted of a kiss and a low bow.
After lunch, we gathered in church for Vespers, which opened Great Lent.
What is Lent?
Great Lent is the oldest, most important, strict and longest among the fasts established by the Orthodox Church. It lasts for 7 weeks from Forgiveness Sunday until Easter itself. Even in the Old Testament, the Lord commanded people to give a tithe (that is, a tenth of everything they acquired) every year in order to have blessings in all their deeds.
Taking this into account, as well as in memory of the forty-day fast of Jesus Christ in the desert, the holy Apostles for the benefit of people established approximately a tenth of the year (about 36 days, not counting Sundays), i.e., the time of Great Lent (Holy Pentecost) to be dedicated to God, so that later you can have a blessing in your deeds.
This is a time of prayer and repentance, when everyone must, having renounced worldly goods, entertainment and amusements, devote time to the purification and elevation of the soul: to realize and ask the Lord for forgiveness of their sins (by fasting and confession), so that then, according to the commandment of the Savior, they can worthily receive Holy Communion Christ's Mysteries.
During fasting it is prohibited: arranging and participating in games; singing, dancing, listening to music, laughing and generally wild joy, watching television programs (except informational ones), getting married. You cannot lie, curse, or judge anyone. The first and last weeks of fasting are especially strict.
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Let's look at the days of Maslenitsa and give their names and characteristics.
Every day Maslenitsa has its own name.
First day of Maslenitsa: Monday - “meeting”
Oh yes Maslenitsa
He's moving into the yard!
The wide one is moving into the yard!
Oh yes, Maslenitsa,
Broad, stay for a week,
A week!
These are the songs the girls and boys sang, took a straw effigy - Maslenitsa - and walked around the village with it. The sedate people began celebrating Maslenitsa by visiting their relatives. By the first day of Maslenitsa, public slides, swings, booths for buffoons, and tables with sweet dishes were built.
The children made snow slides, rode until they dropped, and also went from house to house in a gang and shouted: “Serve for Maslenitsa, for Lent!”
They screamed until the owners brought out old rags for them. The guys collect all sorts of things and take it all to a high place, haul brushwood and light the fire. Such a fire was called an “oil can.” Children dance around the fire and sing: “Burn, burn clearly, so that it doesn’t go out!”
The second day of Maslenitsa - “flirts”
In the morning, young girls were invited to sled on the mountains, eat pancakes, girls' swings were arranged, horseback riding, and snow towns were erected.
The most favorite thing to do on Maslenitsa is to ride on boards filled with water and frozen in the cold. The roots were replaced by sleds and sleds. For skating, a reel of thick logs and poles was built on a steep bank. Such a reel had a “run” (“run”) of up to three hundred meters, so that the skating experience would take your breath away.
Children and adults rode on regular sleds, on chunks (a sled with a chair), on goats or skates, or trumpets (a sled with a railing and a steering wheel - a skate on a board so that it could be controlled). The kids rode on ice boats (ladeykas) - this is a small board, pointed in front and hollowed out like a trough. Even children rode on sheaves of straw and on old calf skins in whole crews and groups.
The third day of Maslenitsa - “gourmet”
Aunt Varvara,
my mother sent me:
Give me some frying pans and a frying pan,
flour and lubricants.
There is water in the oven, the oven wants pancakes.
Where there are pancakes, here we are.
On this day, people feasted on pancakes and other Maslenitsa dishes. Pancakes were baked in an endless variety: wheat, barley, oat, buckwheat, from unleavened and sour dough.
People used to say: “A pancake is not a wedge, it won’t split your belly.”
Mothers-in-law invited their sons-in-law to pancakes for “gourmet treats,” and invited all their relatives to entertain their beloved son-in-law.
The fourth day of Maslenitsa - “Broad Thursday” - “revelry, turning point”
This day was the middle of the butter feast: three days behind, three days ahead. On this day they walked from morning to evening, danced, danced in circles, sang ditties.
The newlyweds were put in a sleigh and brought down the mountain and forced to kiss in front of everyone. If anyone refused, they pushed them into the snow and covered them up to their necks...
On this day they also went out to “kulaks” - to fist fights. According to the rules, it was forbidden to hide something heavy in a mitten or hit below the belt or on the back of the head. In a word, in any fight, a Russian fighter should have remembered honor and not lost his head. They met on the river, fought “itself against oneself” or “wall to wall”.
Fifth day of Maslenitsa - mother-in-law evening - guest day
They used to say: “Even though mother-in-law’s pancakes are sweet, mother-in-law’s sons-in-law treat them to Maslenaya.”
On mother-in-law's evenings, sons-in-law treat their mothers-in-law to pancakes. Invitations can be honorary, with all the relatives for lunch, or just for one dinner. In the old days, the son-in-law was obliged to personally invite his mother-in-law in the evening, and then in the morning he sent elegant invitees. The more people were invited, the more honors the mother-in-law received.
The girls carried out pancakes in a bowl on their heads at noon. They walked to the slide. The guy who was in love with the girl was in a hurry to taste the blink, to find out: would she make a good mistress? After all, she stood by the stove this morning, making pancakes.
The sixth day of Maslenitsa - sister-in-law's gatherings
Maslenitsa is already getting old. Finally, her farewell was celebrated. The young daughter-in-law invited her relatives to her sister-in-law's gatherings. If the sisters-in-law were still girls, then the daughter-in-law called her old girl friends; if they were married, then she invited married relatives and took the guests to their sisters-in-law with the whole train. The newlywed daughter-in-law was obliged to present her sisters-in-law with gifts. Maslenitsa was, as it were, an excuse to get together and gossip about this and that.
In the evening they burned Maslenitsa. At first, the effigy of Maslenitsa was surrounded with honor, and then taken out of the outskirts and burned.
So from time immemorial, in a cheerful, carnival manner, with imagination, with abundant refreshments and forgiveness, the people saw off the winter, welcomed the spring, as if they wanted to take a walk and have fun throughout Lent.
The seventh day of Maslenitsa - Forgiveness Sunday - farewell, ceremony
From morning until lunch, godfathers walk around, visiting each other to give gifts. On this day in Rus', everyone, young and old, asked each other for forgiveness: “Forgive me, take the blame away from me!” or “Forgive me if anything went wrong between us,” “Forgive me, a sinner, for Lent!” For their faults, for their annoyances with each other, our ancestors with open souls asked for forgiveness and prayed to forget the grievances, to establish harmony among themselves and not to keep evil in their minds. The children bowed at the feet of their parents and asked for forgiveness for all the grief caused to them. Farewell consisted of a kiss and a low bow.
After lunch, we gathered in church for Vespers, which opened Great Lent.
What is Lent?
Lent is the oldest, most important, strict and longest among the fasts established by the Orthodox Church, it lasts for 7 weeks from Forgiveness Sunday until Easter itself. Even in the Old Testament, the Lord commanded people to give a tithe (that is, a tenth of everything they acquired) every year in order to have blessings in all their deeds.
Taking this into account, as well as in memory of the forty-day fast of Jesus Christ in the desert, the holy Apostles for the benefit of people established approximately a tenth of the year (about 36 days, not counting Sundays), i.e., the time of Great Lent (Holy Pentecost) to be dedicated to God, so that later you can have a blessing in your deeds.
This is a time of prayer and repentance, when everyone must, having renounced worldly goods, entertainment and amusements, devote time to the purification and elevation of the soul: to realize and ask the Lord for forgiveness of their sins (by fasting and confession), so that then, according to the commandment of the Savior, they can worthily receive Holy Communion Christ's Mysteries.
During fasting it is prohibited: arranging and participating in games; singing, dancing, listening to music, laughing and generally wild joy, watching television programs (except informational ones), getting married. You cannot lie, curse, or judge anyone. The first and last weeks of fasting are especially strict.
Maslenitsa is one of the oldest holidays preserved in the modern calendar since the times of pagan Rus'. Folk memory cherishes many Maslenitsa rites, rituals and fortune telling.
IN2018 G. Maslenitsathe week will last from February 12 to February 18.
It is curious that Maslenitsa, popular among Christians, once came as a good tradition from the pagans. Baking pancakes is a symbol of the spring sun and seeing off the passing winter was a kind, almost holy rite.
And the fact that Maslenitsa began just after Parents’ Day suggests that pancakes were also baked in memory of departed parents and ancestors. The first pancake, which usually turns out lumpy, was usually displayed separately, as if for the deceased. Despite the fact that the Slavs became Christians over the centuries, the celebration of Maslenitsa remained. Well, it’s good if there is a reason to remember your family and have fun with friends and loved ones.
Maslenitsa lasts six days in a row and ends with Forgiveness Sunday. Each day has its own customs and traditions, which are useful and interesting to know.
Amulet on the eve of Maslenitsa.
If you were exaggeratedly praised or envied, or maybe they said something bad, and you are a suspicious person, read this amulet on the eve of Maslenitsa.
It will protect you from possible negativity for the whole year.
“In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Theotokos Lady and you, the four evangelists: Luke, Mark, Matthew and John the Theologian.
Save and preserve me (name), Protect me from dashing thoughts.
From the devil's thoughts, From secret destruction, From the evil eye and the eye of the blind,
From the envious eye, Who hears and who does not hear,
Who curses out loud and who writes denunciations, Alatyr-stone lies in one place,
He doesn’t hear, doesn’t see, no knocking, no sound. Not afraid, not hiding from anyone.
So no sound, knock or word would touch me.
I didn’t stumble over any damage. My words cannot be denied, they cannot be reprimanded.
Neither the first in the family, nor the last. Key. Lock. Language. Amen."
Each day has its own name:
Monday - meeting
Tuesday is a joke
Wednesday is delicious
Thursday is a riot
Friday - mother-in-law's evening,
Saturday - sister-in-law's get-togethers,
Resurrection - farewell, farewell, forgiven day or kissing day.
The initial day of Maslenitsa was named -"meeting".
Many families start baking pancakes on Monday.
The night before, when the stars appear, the eldest woman in the family goes out to the river, lake or well, quietly from others and calls on the moon to look out the window and blow on the dough:
"You are a month,
Your golden horns!
Look out the window
Blow on the dough!»
The first pancake was not eaten on Monday, it was left for the souls of the departed; they carried him out onto the porch with the words:
“Our honest dead people, here is a pancake for your souls!”- or given to the poor so that they could pray for peace.
On this day, they made a scarecrow of Maslenitsa from straw, put old women's clothes on it, put this scarecrow on a pole and, singing, carried it on a sleigh around the village. Then Maslenitsa was staged on a snowy mountain, where sleigh rides began.
We rode from the mountains all the days of Maslenitsa.
A typical Russian Maslenitsa entertainment was also troika rides accompanied by songs, with jokes, jokes, and kisses.
The newlyweds received the most attention and honors during Maslenitsa. They went out “to people” in painted sleighs and paid visits to everyone who walked at their wedding.
Mass celebrations take place in all city squares, and in Tsarist times the Tsar himself opened this holiday.
On this day, it is customary to visit the matchmakers for pancakes, and the daughters-in-law should have time to help around the house and arrive to their parents in advance to help with setting the table.
In general, today many of the nuances of Maslenitsa traditions have not been preserved to such an extent. For example, if the newlyweds are living for the first year and this is their first joint Maslenitsa, it means that the mother-in-law should come on Monday morning and teach the young housewife how to make first-class pancakes. But, nevertheless, the traditions of visiting and generously treating people remained.
A GUARD AGAINST WITCHES on the 1st day of Maslenitsa.
On the first day of Maslenitsa, a conspiracy was read that helped get rid of the effects of evil witch spells:
“You witches, branded devils, when you count the stars in the sky and the grains of sand in the sea, then you will be able to harm me, my home and my people.”
On the first day of Maslenitsa, salt was poured at the windowsill, at the front door, and on the last day the salt was swept away. This is how all evil spirits are swept out of the house.
From this day on, egg shells are considered healing and are not thrown away, but collected for treatment.
Second day of Maslenitsa, Tuesday - “flirt”.
Previously, this day was dedicated to newlyweds. On the same second day, sledding began from the mountains. Those who didn’t have them rolled down on mats. Maslenitsa festivities began.
On Tuesday It is customary to walk and have fun, organize mass games, sing ditties and play pranks on friends.
Winter is celebrated with dignity - competitions for sculpting snow castles, competitions for building ice palaces and all sorts of snowy fun take place on the streets.
However, it’s not just that young people come out to have fun - on this day, girls of marriageable age closely watch young single guys, and guys watch the girls. Couples in love who are created on this day will live a long and happy married life.
In the old days in Rus', on Maslenitsa they not only walked and had fun, but also told fortunes.
This is where the time came to “look into the mouth” of your loved one and find out what kind of character your future husband has. It’s not for nothing that they say that they choose a husband by pancakes, and a wife by pies.
WE CHOOSE A HUSBAND BY PANCAKES .
Pancakes with caviar are preferred by real men. Such a person will have a safe house, a strong household, and a wife and children with shoes and clothes. But don’t expect tender words and kisses from him - all his energy goes into housekeeping. And in general, love is proven by deeds, not words.
“Intellectuals” eat pancakes with red fish - a word that is almost a dirty word in the peasant world. The thoughts and feelings of such a person have become too far removed from the sinful earth. Both day and night, these persons hover in the clouds, demanding from their beloved an understanding of their great plans and unrealistic plans. And the fact that the hut is lopsided, that the cattle have no hay stored up, is “low life.” Should he, the poet, care about this...
Pancakes with cottage cheese are eaten by kind, flexible and kind-hearted people. Such a person definitely needs a woman nearby who will command the house and manage the household. And a loving husband will gladly fulfill all her commands.
Pancakes with sour cream, despite their deliciousness, are eaten only by people with a “double bottom”. Such a hubby will agree on everything with his better half, and with his dear mother, and with his neighbor Vasya.
He has only one opinion about what is happening - the one he last heard. These are weak-willed, spineless people. They strive to adapt to everyone and everyone, to please everyone.
Pancakes with butter are eaten by gentle and affectionate husbands. True, after telling their spouse 100 times a day that she is the one and only, and kissing her on the cheek 200 times, they consider their responsibilities to the family fulfilled. They will not prove their love and responsibility to the family by any housework or housework. But even so, affairs are not love, they only interfere with kissing and cuddling and holding hands.
Pancakes with sugar are eaten by children who love them. The main thing in their love is not the quality of raising an individual child, but the large number of children in the house. And your wife will have no time to stare at you, and it seems like you have proven to everyone around you that you are a man. But what to feed them and what to dress them in is the tenth thing.
Pancakes with hard-boiled eggs are eaten by the most unpleasant husbands. And in the company of such a person he will sit with his nose hanging down, with a sour expression on his face.
And the house will itch for no reason or reason. In a word, boring. There is no great practical harm from such people; they fulfill their fatherly and masculine responsibilities. Not at the behest of the soul and heart, but because “this is how it is necessary,” “this is how it is accepted.” So, in general, it is possible to live with such a treasure, even for the rest of your life. But then there will be nothing to remember - neither good nor bad.
But “the first guys in the village” like pancakes with jam. Such a person can run away to the city - “to earn money”, and visit his widowed neighbor. True, there is money in the house, and he will not leave his wife with attention and affection. And having run into other people’s girls, he will still return to the family. But such a loving wife often greets him not with kisses, but with a hug.
CHOOSE A WIFE BY PIE.
By the way, the character of the future wife can be judged by the kind of pies she treats to guests.
Large pies - kulebyaki and rasstegai - are served by a slightly lazy person.
But the pies are also different.
The big “bast shoes” are made by greedy girls - it seems like you’ve eaten the pie, but you can’t reach for anything else.
Small, neat from the housewife who will maintain order in the house, and she has a nice, flexible character, respectful to elders.
Pies are baked seam side up by those girls who have all their thoughts and feelings “written on their faces.” These girls are frank, sincere, and, in modern terms, most of them are extroverts.
Pies with the seam down are made by quiet young ladies, like the pool in which the devils live. He will say “yes”, nod his head, but will still do it his own way. This kind of girl can go out in secret, as long as everything is covered up.
Homemade klushas (in the best sense of the word) love to bake round pies or cheesecakes (with any filling). Both the husband and the children will be fussed over from morning to night. And they are not bad housewives. But for them, caressing their husband in bed is the same as washing a bunch of laundry or threshing grain.
In general, labor service.
All kinds of pretzels and braids are baked by bright, romantic, but unreliable people. Everything in their hands burns, but often it burns out. She just doted on her husband - and now she’s swinging her arm around her. Life with one is a complete adventure. And it’s not always pleasant.
Triangular pies (like oriental khachapuri) are loved by lomaki and imaginaries. She just wants to stand out with something, but it doesn’t matter what.
But what if you come to visit your loved one, and there is a dish with a wide variety of pies on the table?
Console yourself with the fact that your sweetheart is a versatile person, she has a little bit of everything in moderation.
And most importantly, she is a good housewife.
Wednesday – “Gourmand”.
On Wednesday You definitely need to come to your mother-in-law for pancakes. Moreover, no excuses are accepted! The mother-in-law, in turn, is happy to try for her son-in-law and arranges a rich table on which there are pancakes with various fillings - with caviar, jam, honey. The table should also be rich in drinks and other treats. On this day, the family gathers at the table, praising the mother-in-law and her culinary skills.
Luxurious tables were laid in all houses. Right on the street there were numerous stalls selling hot sbitni (drinks made from water, honey and spices), roasted nuts, and honey gingerbread.
On the third day of Maslenitsa, which is celebrated this week, it is customary to treat sons-in-law. At the same time, it used to be quite unprofitable to feed the son-in-law, since according to tradition, pancakes were baked both small and large, and with milk, and with caviar, and with herring.
As a rule, starting from Wednesday, both unmarried youth and adults actively get involved in mountain riding and horseback riding. Only babies and old people who no longer leave the house do not ride troikas during Shrovetide.
A whole series of Maslenitsa customs were aimed at speeding up weddings and helping single youth find a partner.
The skating of young couples, according to the ancestors, was supposed to help awaken the earth from winter sleep. Artificial ice mountains symbolized the earth's womb, in which new life was born.
Young women went around the village and hung wooden stocks for overgrown guys because they did not want to get married, and they, in turn, tried to pay them off with sweets and pancakes.
There was a special attitude towards those young couples who got married that year: they had to participate in skating, show up in their best outfits, and kiss in public.
Thursday - "go wild". On this day, it was customary to organize famous fist fights and capture specially built snow fortresses.
Thursday during Maslenitsa week was considered the day of veneration of the god Veles (Volos), the patron saint of livestock. Therefore, on this day, before baking pancakes for the family, they baked pancakes for their cow-nurse. While treating the cow to such a pancake, they read prayers and incantations.
Thursday was very important for the owner, because only on St. Blaise (this Christian saint replaced the god Veles) it was necessary to break the young horses.
On Thursday Wide celebrations continue, everyone gives each other gifts, and children rush to sing carols. In the city, however, no one really sings carols anymore, but in villages and villages this good tradition has been preserved. A scarecrow of Maslenitsa can be carried through the streets for everyone to see. The scarecrow is made from whatever is at hand - straw, old things, holiday decorations. During celebrations, you need to actively and cheerfully sing songs so that everything in the family is good.
Friday is an interesting day. Mother-in-law's day.
Sons-in-law, who actively enjoyed pancakes at their mothers-in-law's, should now invite them to their home and set the table. Moreover, the mother-in-law must be invited personally, and the more actively and affectionately the son-in-law invites, the more beloved he will be.
And to make everything look beautiful and festive, on this day all the relatives of both sides gather, and everyone sees how the son-in-law meets and generously treats his beloved mother-in-law.
True, this custom was very peculiar. The curious thing was that the invited mother-in-law was obliged to send to the newlyweds’ house in the evening everything necessary for baking pancakes: a frying pan, a ladle and even a tub in which the dough was kneaded.
A whole series of Maslenitsa customs were aimed at speeding up weddings and helping young people find a partner.
They didn't forget about sisters-in-law.
On Saturday — farewell, at her sister-in-law’s gatherings (sister-in-law is her husband’s sister), the young daughter-in-law invited her husband’s relatives to visit her.
It is interesting that the word “sister-in-law” itself was believed to come from the word “evil,” since the husband’s sisters treated their daughter-in-law (“who came from God knows where”) with distrust and wariness - let’s remember, for example, Russian folk tales.
If the sisters-in-law were not yet married, then she invited her unmarried friends to visit. If the husband’s sisters were already married, then the daughter-in-law invited her married relatives and took the guests with the whole train to their sisters-in-law.
The newlywed daughter-in-law had to present her sisters-in-law with gifts.
On Saturday, the ashes of the burned effigies should be scattered across the fields - for a rich harvest in the fall. On this day, the final farewell to winter takes place and everyone rejoices at the arrival of the new sowing season.
The seventh day is Forgiveness Sunday. On this day you need to prepare for Lent and cleanse your soul and body. You definitely need to bow and ask for forgiveness from everyone. The last Maslenitsa bonfires flare up again, around which people sing songs and burn straw.
On Sunday we celebrated Maslenitsa. Young people in a sleigh with a scarecrow of Maslenitsa rode around the village and outskirts singing until dark.
Late in the evening, a scarecrow was burned on a fire prepared in the morning. As a rule, the Maslenitsa bonfire was lit by the oldest representatives of the village community or by those young people who were “lucky” to “find” a fern flower on the previous Kupala night.
According to legend, it was in it that the life-giving energy of the sun dying for the winter was preserved. Therefore, the Maslenitsa bonfire was always lit at the highest place near the village, that is, as close as possible to the cosmic body, in order to “return” its lost power.
Maslenitsa bonfires- this is also a memorial rite, since they served as a kind of invitation to deceased ancestors to a rich dinner on the eve of Lent.
Happening\’ appeasing the spirits for the whole year ahead. And after the straw effigy was burned in the fire, the ashes were scattered across the field and trampled into the snow in order to awaken the sleeping earth and return to it the ability of new birth. A lot of people always gathered around the Maslenitsa bonfire, it was fun, songs were sung, games were held.
A funny tradition of seeing off Maslenitsa is the burning of pancakes. You definitely need to throw a pancake into the fire, tell Maslenitsa to go away, and then stain as many people around you as possible with soot.
Don't forget about deceased relatives. On Sunday you need to visit their graves and leave pancakes there. And after a hard and fun day, the final tradition is a bathhouse. You need to steam your heart out in it, whip yourself with brooms and celebrate Lent the next day.
On the last day of Maslenitsa - Sunday- they sat down at the table seven times, according to the number of weeks in Lent. And in the evening, the entire family had to treat themselves to food of animal origin for the last time before fasting.
After dinner, nothing was removed from the table; everything left was covered with a white tablecloth, and then with a sheepskin, fur on top. All this was done so that there would be no quarrels or disagreements in the family for a whole year.
On the eve of Lent, in an effort to cleanse themselves of everything sinful, people asked each other for forgiveness.
The ceremony of forgiveness takes place in the evening, after dinner.
Addressing each other, people said:
“Please forgive me if I’m guilty of anything.”
In some families, the following ritual was performed on Forgiveness Sunday. In the evening, all family members sat around the table in the house. The head of the family, the father, sat on a separate chair.
Each of the present household members in turn approached his father, bowed at his feet and asked for forgiveness for all the bad deeds in the past year (for insult, intemperance, swearing, disobedience, drinking, malicious acts).
After the youngest in the family asked for forgiveness, everyone took their places, and the father came out into the middle of the house (room), bowed to everyone from the waist and also asked for forgiveness for his sinful actions.
For the same purpose, before sunset on this day, they went to the cemetery, left pancakes on the graves and bowed to the ashes of their relatives.
Even on this day we tried to drink less alcohol.
It was necessary to meet spring with a clear conscience and body, so at the end of Maslenitsa everyone went to the bathhouse.
On Forgiveness Sunday, you must fall asleep before midnight, then you will wake up easily in the morning.
Signs for Maslenitsa:
First of all, Maslenitsa is a time of remembrance of the dead. And the first pancakes baked on Pancake Monday are dedicated to the ancestors. You should knead the dough and bake pancakes in silence, turning over the faces of your relatives in your memory, remembering their words and actions. The first pancake cannot be eaten: it should be crumbled outside for the birds.
According to ancient belief, the birds, having pecked the treat, will fly to heaven and ask the Lord for you and your loved ones. And in the evening, gather the whole family for a meal. This will strengthen family ties and give you reliable protection from your ancestors.
Fortune telling for Maslenitsa:
Pancake fortune telling can be done by inviting friends. Make different fillings: sweet, salty, spicy, fresh, put a dry bean in several pancakes. Roll up the pancakes and place on a plate. Each person sitting at the table chooses one - the filling will tell you what awaits him. Sweet - for joy, spicy - for a hectic life, salty - for serious work, fresh - for life without change. And a bean means good luck in money.
Another fortune telling on Maslenitsa was carried out not on pancakes, but on a pie: in this way you can find out whether your cherished wish will come true before next spring. Bake the cake, cover with a napkin, and let cool.
Take a knife, dip it in holy water, wipe it with the napkin that was used to cover the cake, with the words:
“Like water from a knife, so is thinness from a house. We eat royal and boyar pies. My little pie, reveal your vow to me.”
Now sprinkle holy water on the cake and stick a knife into it. If the knife remains standing straight, it’s too early to expect changes. If he leans in your direction, the wish will come true if you don’t interfere with yourself. If the knife deviates straight away from you or to the right, it will not come true. If the knife deviates to the left of you - everything is fine, wait for your dream to come true. If the knife falls, it means failure.
How to protect yourself from the evil eye and damage on Maslenitsa:
During Shrovetide Week, you can perform a ritual of cleansing from negativity and the evil eye. To do this, you need to make a snowball, undress, stand in a basin and roll yourself with snow from head to toe (from head to toe), reading the plot:
“Passion, passion, come out, pour out of the servant of God (name). From a violent head, from a zealous heart, from a white body, from red blood, from a clean belly, from arms, from legs, from veins, from elderly. It is not I who drive out the evil eye, but Mother the Most Holy Theotokos with her angels, archangels, guardians and patrons every day, every hour, from now on and forever and ever! Amen!"
Pour out the water that the snow turns into at the intersection.
Conspiracy from envious people on Maslenitsa:
To protect yourself from envious people for a whole year, on the eve of Maslenitsa, on Sunday, read the plot three times:
“In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Theotokos Lady and you, the four evangelists: Luke, Mark, Matthew and John the Theologian. Save and preserve me (name), protect me from dashing thoughts, from devilish thoughts, from secret destruction, from the evil eye and the blind eye, from the envious eye, who hears and who does not hear, who curses out loud and who writes denunciations. The Alatyr-stone lies in one place, does not hear, does not see, is not afraid of knocking or sound, and is not hiding from anyone. So no sound, knock or word would touch me, I wouldn’t stumble over any damage. My words cannot be denied, they cannot be reprimanded. Neither the first in the family, nor the last. Key. Lock. Language. Amen".
Wealth plot:
On the Monday following the last day of Maslenitsa, Forgiveness Sunday, go to where the festivities took place and try to find at least a penny.
Raising it with your left hand, say:
“I walked and walked, and found how I (your name) walked towards this money, so that the money would come to me. Just as many people were here today in honor of Maslenitsa, so I would always have a lot of money. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".
Keep the charmed coin until the next Maslenitsa. After a year, leave it where you picked it up.
Maslenitsa spell for good luck:
Bake pancakes. Choose the most beautiful pancake with smooth edges.
Cut it in half, and then slowly move the halves away from each other, saying a spell to attract good luck:
“Like sunrise and sunset do not coincide, This way all my troubles will pass by.
There will be troubles far from me, I will live freely and easily.”
Maslenitsa conspiracyto attract profit and material wealth:
On Maslenitsa you need to burn everything old and unnecessary. This is done when they light a fire and burn an effigy. If you live in the city, but are lucky enough to go out into nature during Maslenitsa week, grab old, unnecessary things.
Build a fire, throw trash into it and say the following spell:
“I burn the old things unnecessarily,
I invite you to new good things.
Let everything that has become obsolete go away.
Let the new one bring profit.
Let the unnecessary turn into ashes,
From the ashes he will be reborn with new successes!”
Money plot for Maslenitsa pancakes:
We fry pancakes and charm them into material wealth.
We read the plot three times:
“The beautiful girl Marya came out, the beautiful girl Fedosya came out, at dawn early in the morning, they were combing their hair.
They spun the wheel, kneaded the flour, made the dough, these were the words they spoke.
The sun is clear, shine, bring us spring, don’t starve us, bring us the harvest.
I (name) followed, heard those words, repeated them, and spoke three times.
I, (name), call for spring, but I don’t know grief or pestilence.”
Everyone at home should be treated to pancakes.
Maslenitsa conspiracy - how to increase income:
On the first Monday after Maslenitsa, come to the place where the festivities took place. Walk around and look at the ground carefully - you need to find any coin.
Taking it with your left hand, say:
“I went and found how I (name) went to this money,
So that the money will come to me.
How many people were here today
In honor of Holy Maslenitsa,
So I would always have a lot of money.
In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever and unto ages of ages.Amen."
Maslenitsa conspiracy against the evil eye and damage.
You are sure that someone has brought the evil eye or damage to you, or envious people have appeared - perform a ritual with a Maslenitsa spell.
In the morning, on the first day of Maslenitsa, stand facing the rising Sun and say:
“Maslenitsa will protect you from all evil,
Everything evil and bad will turn away from me.
On the first day, every evil eye will be reflected from me.
On the second day, all corruption will disappear from me.
On the third day, the evil conspiracy will be broken into pieces.
On the fourth day, everything will respond to the offenders.
On the fifth day, evil thoughts will turn to dust.
On the sixth day all my troubles will cease.
On the seventh, luck and strength will return to me.”
Repeat this spell at dawn every day of Maslenitsa.
Maslenitsa conspiracy to fulfill wishes:
We read the plot on Maslenitsa Sunday, before going to bed:
“Light up, clear star in the sky,to the joy of the baptized world,light up with an unquenchable fire for the joy of the Orthodox
Look, star, into the house of God’s servant (name).
You, clear star, sanctify my house with unquenchable fire.
Hear my desire(say your wish). Amen."
Cross yourself, bow and go to bed.
Maslenitsa conspiracyfrom damage and bad words:
“In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Theotokos Lady and you, the four evangelists: Luke, Mark, Matthew and John the Theologian.
Save and preserve me (name), protect me from dashing thoughts.
From the devil's thoughts, from secret destruction, from the evil eye and the blind eye, from the envious eye, who hears and who does not hear, who curses out loud and who writes denunciations.
The Alatyr-stone lies in one place, does not hear, does not see, is not afraid of knocking or sound, and is not hiding from anyone.
So no sound, knock or word would touch me.
I didn’t stumble over any damage.
Neither the first in the family, nor the last.
Key. Lock. Language.Amen."
Envy conspiracy:
On Sunday, on the eve of the first day of Maslenitsa, in complete solitude, read the conspiracy three times that will protect you from negativity for the whole year:
“In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Theotokos Lady and you, the four evangelists: Luke, Mark, Matthew and John the Theologian. Save and preserve me (name), protect me from dashing thoughts, from devilish thoughts, from secret destruction, from the evil eye and the blind eye, from the envious eye, who hears and who does not hear, who curses out loud and who writes denunciations. The Alatyr-stone lies in one place, does not hear, does not see, is not afraid of knocking or sound, and is not hiding from anyone. So no sound, knock or word would touch me. I didn’t trip over any damage. My words cannot be denied, they cannot be reprimanded. Neither the first in the family, nor the last. Key. Lock. Language. Amen".
The CLEANSING RITUAL is done on Maslenitsa Sunday.
This ritual is done to restore happiness and correct karma.
This ritual should not be performed by a healer; it may take on the patient’s karma.
It's better when everyone makes it themselves.
Take a piece of paper and write down what worries you most: bad deeds, illnesses, attitude towards the world and people... In a word, what you would like to get rid of. Roll the sheet into a tube and cut into 3 equal parts.
Prepare protective circles from Thursday salt and holy water (a distance of 30 cm between them).
In front of the circle of salt, read “Our Father,” then step over this circle and stand in front of the circle of holy water.
You read the prayers “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice” and “Guardian Angel” and step over the circle of water.
In front of you in the last circle there should be 4 lit candles.
Read Psalm 90 and burn 3 parts of the sheet in turn; when they burn, say “Hallelujah!” 40 times.
Then - obligatory observance of a 3-day fast and a visit to church, where you must put 12 candles to any icons in one visit.
CLEAR MONDAY.
After Maslenitsa ended, the peasants went to the bathhouse - ahead was “Clean Monday,” the first day of Lent.
The last echo of the holiday is Saturday of Lent. On this day, it was customary to “celebrate Maslenitsa”: bake lean pancakes with hemp or sunflower oil.
After this, the Maslenitsa fun finally died down.
HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR INCOME.
On the first Monday after Maslenitsa, come to the place where the festivities took place. Walk there, looking at your feet, until you find any money (even a penny).
Taking it with your left hand, say:
“I went and found how I (name) went to this money,
So that the money will come to me.
How many people were here today
In honor of Holy Maslenitsa,
So I would always have a lot of money.
In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."
And of course special pancakes:
Most traditionally female jobs associated with cooking are associated with the circle. Protective circle. In a circle, clockwise (salting), you are supposed to knead the dough for pancakes. Spread butter in a circle on the frying pan using a piece of lard. And of course, a skilled housewife will pour the pancake into the frying pan in a circle, thinly distributing the dough; and a delicious, crispy pancake will absorb all her love.
Maslenitsa is a good reason to prepare food with your own hands, which is both tasty and magical. While kneading the dough, one must say all kinds of good wishes to it, addressed to the living and to the departed, to the strength of the clan and to the good spirits of the house. Words can be arbitrary.
There are folk sayings and rhymes that were used when baking pancakes.
, Maslenitsa will come, it will bring prosperity and health.
We’re baking pancakes and waiting for the Sun.”
But you can come up with your own words and wishes.
Money pancakes.
When you pipe the pancake batter, throw in some cinnamon! After all, the property of cinnamon to attract money has long been known. Cinnamon brings success, prosperity, attracts good luck. The aroma of cinnamon is very attractive for money!
When you mix the dough say:
“Money dough for money pancakes. Whoever eats the pancake gets a lot of money.”
After you bake pancakes, be sure to feed them to your family members, especially the one on whom your material well-being depends.
Pancakes that attract love.
They need to be baked on Tuesday. After all, Tuesday is flirtation, single guys on this day were looking for brides, and girls were looking for grooms. That’s why we need to bake “love” pancakes on Tuesday! These pancakes must have a sweet filling! Make the dough in any way, and when you fry, say:
“I bake pancakes, I attract love.”
And be sure to treat your friends and family with homemade pancakes during Maslenitsa week. Since ancient times, it was believed that Spring would bestow well-being and prosperity on everyone who was generous with pancakes this week.
There are sayings about Russian Maslenitsa:
* Not life, but Maslenitsa, Not everything is Maslenitsa, there will be Lent.
* Maslenitsa lasts for seven days.
* Maslenitsa went around, saved money.
* It’s Maslenitsa, damn it, it’s bringing honey.
* We ask you kindly about Maslenitsa with your kindness, with an honest belly,
* Malanya got married at Maslenitsa, thought she was planning to get married, but Malanya didn’t know that it was Maslenitsa, and there was little hangover after Radushitsa,
* Maslenitsa obedukha, with money,
* Maslenitsa is afraid of bitter radishes and steamed turnips,
* After Maslenitsa - Lent, and after Passion - Easter,
* At least put something away from yourself, and celebrate Maslenitsa,
* For some it’s Maslenitsa, but it’s continuous, but for us it’s Palm and Passion!
* There was Maslenitsa near the yard, but she didn’t come into the house,
* Without pancakes, it’s not Maslenitsa.
* On the day of forgiveness, like on Easter, everyone kisses.
But while walking, “you still need to remember about the upcoming fast.”
There are also tips on this matter:
“Mardi Gras does not last forever”
“Feast and party, woman, on Maslenitsa, and remember about fasting.”
Maslenitsa is preceded by weeks that are popularly called: solid, variegated, omnivorous.
Motley weeks are the last weeks before fasting; they follow omnivorous weeks. A motley week follows a solid one.
Signs:
“As colorful as Maslenitsa is,”
“If the weather is good on Omnivore, then Maslenitsa will be warm”,
“As the weather is omnivorous, so is Maslenitsa”
"Inclement weather on Sunday before Maslenitsa means a mushroom harvest,"
“Thaw with frost on a forgiven day - to the mushroom harvest”,
“What a red Maslenitsa day is this wheat in the spring.”
During Maslenitsa, people feasted on pancakes and other dishes. It was Russian pancakes that were the symbol of this holiday, which were so reminiscent of the red sun. Pancakes were baked in an endless variety: wheat, oat, buckwheat, from unleavened and sour dough.
This is what people used to say about pancakes:
* A pancake is not a wedge - it won’t split your belly.
* Aunt Varvara,
My mother sent me:
Give me some frying pans and a frying pan,
Torments and lubricants.
* Water in the oven,
Wants pancakes in the oven.
* Where there are pancakes, here we are.
* Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes, like the wheels of spring.
On the last day of Maslenitsa they celebrated her farewell.
On this day, in the morning, the children have to worry about making a snow woman, putting him in a sled, and sliding him down the icy mountain.
Name of the days of Maslenitsa week
The last week before Lent is called Cheese Week, Maslenitsa. After it, preparations for Easter begin. Maslenitsa is celebrated seven weeks before Easter.
Maslenitsa- this is the funniest, most riotous and truly universal holiday.
The tradition of celebrating Maslenitsa dates back to pagan times. Among the ancient Slavs, this holiday symbolized farewell to winter, and was celebrated for fourteen days. The people loved him and called him affectionately: “honest Maslenitsa”, “cheerful”, “killer whale”, “quail”, “pereberha”, “yasochka”. With the introduction of the Christian religion, there were attempts to eradicate the pagan holiday, but the churchmen only managed to postpone its dates (usually the end of January - beginning of March) and shorten it to eight days.
The entire Maslenitsa week was called meat-eating week, which meant a complete rejection of meat. This is a kind of preparation for the subsequent Lent, which lasts seven weeks, until Easter. But the ban on meat did not mean a refusal of other fast foods, so they eat milk, cheese, and cottage cheese. Therefore, Maslenitsa week was called “Cheese”. In addition, fish is not prohibited.
But the main attribute of this holiday in Rus' has always been considered pancakes. There is a saying: “Without a pancake it’s not Maslena, without a pie there’s no birthday.” However, Ukrainians and Belarusians often did not bake pancakes on Maslenitsa, replacing them with dumplings with cheese or the same pancakes, but made with buckwheat flour.
Pancakes were baked throughout Maslenitsa week (it was also called pancakes or pancakes). According to tradition, the first baked pancake was placed on the dormer window for the repose of the parental SOULs, saying: “Our honest parents, here is a pancake for your Darling!” Sometimes the first pancake is not placed on the window, but given to the poor, accompanied by a request to remember the deceased.
Writers and historians note that Maslenitsa has always been celebrated on a grand scale; everyone, regardless of age and social status, took part in the celebration. Let us remember how Pushkin wrote about this holiday in Eugene Onegin.
They kept life peaceful
Habits of a dear old man;
They have Maslenitsa
There were Russian pancakes...
A. Pushkin. "Eugene Onegin"
During Maslenitsa week, various kinds of rituals and celebrations were held, and in a certain sequence. This can be seen in the names of the days of Maslenitsa.
Monday was called a meeting. On this day, they made a stuffed Maslenitsa from straw, dressed it in old women's clothes, and then, putting it on a pole, rolled it around the village in a sleigh. Then Maslenitsa was staged on a snowy mountain, where sleigh rides began. On the day of the meeting, funny songs were sung:
And we celebrated Maslenitsa,
We met, soul, we met,
We visited the hill,
We've been, soul, we've been.
They lined the mountain with pancakes,
They laid it out, soul, they laid it out.
They filled the mountain with cheese,
Stuffed, soul, stuffed,
They poured oil on the mountain,
They watered, soul, watered...
“Glorious” songs in honor of Maslenitsa were widespread:
Our dear Maslenitsa,
Avdotyushka Izotievna,
Dunya is white, Dunya is rosy,
The braid is long, three arshins long,
Scarlet ribbon, two-and-a-half pieces,
The scarf is white, new-fashioned,
Eyebrows black, pointed,
The fur coat is blue, the swallows are red;
Sandals are frequent, big-headed,
The foot wraps are white and bleached!
Tuesday was called flirting. On this day, various entertainments began: sleigh rides, folk festivals, performances. Crowds of mummers walked the streets, and they rode around the city in troikas and on simple sledges. Booths were staged on the streets, where performances were given led by Petrushka and Maslenitsa grandfather, and home concerts were also held. Some went down the slides.
After her coronation in Moscow, Catherine II gave the people a masquerade at Maslenitsa, directed by the famous 18th-century actor Fyodor Volkov.
Both ordinary and noble people were invited to watch the masquerade and to take part in the evening skiing from the mountains.
Wednesday was called a gourmet. From this day on, feasts began in all houses. Guests were treated to pancakes, tables were set, and beer was brewed in villages. Tents and stalls appeared everywhere, selling hot sbitny (drinks made from water, honey and spices), roasted nuts, and gingerbread. Here they sold tea from a boiling samovar.
Thursday - revelry, turning point, wide Thursday: this day was the middle of games and fun. On this day, the so-called fists took place - fist fights, known since Ancient Rus'. According to the rules, it was forbidden to put something heavy in your fist, hit someone who was lying down, attack several people against one, hit below the belt or on the back of the head. Those who violated this rule were severely punished. One could fight “wall to wall” (“collective battles”) or “one on one” (one on one), conduct so-called “hunter” fights for experts, fans of such fights.
And yet, these were rather not serious competitions, but a fun game, a holiday, to which, naturally, the clothes corresponded.
Friday was called mother-in-law's evenings. A whole series of Maslenitsa customs were aimed at speeding up weddings and helping single youth find a partner.
A lot of attention was paid to the newlyweds. According to tradition, they dressed up, rode out in painted sleighs, and visited all the guests who were at their wedding. They also rode down the ice mountain to the songs. On this day, the sons-in-law were supposed to visit the mother-in-law, who was supposed to bake pancakes and treat the son-in-law well. In some places, “mother-in-law’s pancakes” took place on Gourmet Day, that is, on Wednesday during Shrovetide Week, but could also be scheduled for Friday.
If sons-in-law visited their mothers-in-law on Wednesday, then on Friday the sons-in-law had to invite their mother-in-law for pancakes - this custom was called “mother-in-law’s evening.” On Friday, the former friend was also invited, who performed the same duties as at the wedding, and received a gift for his troubles. The mother-in-law, who was invited by the son-in-law, had to send the son-in-law everything necessary for baking pancakes in the evening: a frying pan, a ladle, etc., and the father-in-law would send a bag of buckwheat and cow butter. The son-in-law's disrespect for this event was considered a disgrace and was the reason for eternal enmity between him and his mother-in-law.
Saturday - sister-in-law's get-togethers: relatives came to visit the young daughters-in-law. As you can see, every day of Maslenitsa week was accompanied by a special feast.
Sunday - farewell, tselovnik, Forgiveness day, Forgiveness Sunday. This day marks the end of the Maslenitsa cycle. If during the year people offended each other in any way, on Forgiveness Sunday they asked for forgiveness. Having met, people greeted each other with a kiss, and one of them said: “Forgive me, perhaps.” The second one answered: “God will forgive you!” - and that’s where all the grievances ended.
For the same purpose, on Forgiveness Sunday they went to the cemetery, left pancakes on the graves, prayed and worshiped the ashes of their relatives.
On the Sunday of Maslenitsa week, a scarecrow - “Madame - Maslenitsa” was placed on a sleigh, and a beautiful girl sat next to him. Three young guys harnessed the sleigh and carried Maslenitsa through the streets. The sleigh with the scarecrow was accompanied by a string of sleighs - the so-called Maslenitsa train. A large fire was lit outside the outskirts, a pancake was given to Maslenitsa, and then solemnly burned at the stake. At the same time they said: “Burn, pancakes, burn, Maslenitsa!” Pancakes were also thrown into the fire, as if sacrificing them for future fertility. The effigy of Maslenitsa was burned as a sign of farewell to winter and welcome of spring.
This is well expressed in the fairy tale play “The Snow Maiden” by A.N. Ostrovsky. Thinking about spring, the Berendey peasants sang:
Maslenitsa wettail!
Get out of the yard
Your time has come!
We have streams from the mountains,
Play the ravines
Turn out the shafts
Set up your plow!
Spring is red,
Our sweetie has arrived!
Sad notes are already appearing in the farewell songs sung on Maslenitsa Sunday. Maslenitsa is blamed for deceiving people, ruining them, eating everything, and now they are forced to observe Lent. But still, the main content is the departure of winter - “It’s enough, winter, winter.” We celebrated this winter holiday to thank her for all the good things she gave. At the same time, she was driven along with the frosts, looking forward to spring.
