Maslenitsa week of the year by day. Oil week in days

Maslenitsa is certainly one of the most fun and favorite holidays of the year. It is celebrated on the eve of strict Lent, which is probably why Maslenitsa week is spent so much fun. In 2017, Maslenitsa begins to be celebrated on February 20 and ends on February 27. For a whole week people bake pancakes, invite each other over and have fun. It is very important to have a fun Maslenitsa and then start fasting.

Big and Small Maslenitsa

Maslenitsa week is divided into two parts:

1. Small Maslenitsa is celebrated on the first three days of the week. In 2017 it is February 20, 21 and 22. These days, people were not too distracted from their usual affairs, but pancakes were served on the table every day. It was always customary to give the first pancake baked during Maslenitsa week to the poor.
2. Big Maslenitsa - February 23, 24, 25 and 26, 2017. Its other name is Razgul. It is on Thursday that the most fun time of Maslenitsa week begins. All household and household work was put aside and the celebration began. These days included sledding, fist fights, various agility competitions, and jumping over a fire. Tables were set on the streets, where everyone brought something from the treats.

Throughout Maslenitsa week, children caroled, sang traditional songs and begged for treats.

Maslenitsa week by day

It is accepted that:

• February 20th. Monday. This first day of Maslenitsa week is called “Meeting”. It is on Monday that the effigy is made, which will subsequently be burned. This was usually done by children, who then carried the stuffed animal throughout the village and left it on the hill, from where they began sledding. Adults also rode, and there is an interesting sign - whoever skates the furthest will have an excellent flax harvest next year. The first pancake baked on Monday must be given to the poor or taken to the cemetery.
• February 21. Tuesday. The day is symbolically called “Zigrysh” and is intended for visiting. Relatives, friends, acquaintances - everyone had to be received and fed pancakes. Young guys look for brides on this day. This day is considered a great day for newlyweds.
• February 22. Wednesday. On this day, housewives begin to bake pancakes at full speed and demonstrate their skills to the owl. The day is called “Gourmand”; pancakes with all kinds of fillings and additives are served on the table. On Wednesday it is customary to go to your mother-in-law's for pancakes.
• February 23. Thursday. This day goes by several names - “Run out”, “Fat Thursday”, “Wide Thursday”. On this day they remember the scarecrow that stands on the hill. All the people gather around him, everyone is dancing and having fun. By the way, in the villages on this day even domestic animals were fed pancakes.
• 24 February. Friday. This day is especially important for young families. The very name “Mother-in-law’s Evening” suggests that the mother-in-law should be honored on this day. A young family or a separate spouse should go to their mother-in-law and invite her to visit them. A personal invitation from the son-in-law is a must, otherwise it may offend the mother-in-law.
• 25 February. Saturday. Visiting guests, fun and festivities continue. On this day, the youngest daughter-in-law invites her relatives to her place; it’s not for nothing that the day is called “Sister-in-law’s Evening.” The effigy can be burned on Saturday, but you need to dance around the fire. have fun, dance in circles. The noisier and brighter you spend the winter, the better next year will be.
• February 26. Sunday. This is the so-called Forgiveness Sunday, when it is customary to ask each other for forgiveness for all the offenses caused. Despite the fact that this day is considered the culmination of the holiday and everyone continues to walk and have fun, on Sunday they already think about Lent, which begins the next day.

Each day of Oil Week has its own name and rituals. The holiday week is divided into two periods: from Monday to Wednesday -Narrow Maslenitsa, and from Thursday to Sunday -Wide Maslenitsa. Narrow Maslenitsa still allows household work, but on Broad Maslenitsa you can no longer work: neither sewing, nor washing, nor cleaning.

Monday - meeting

On the first day of Maslenitsa, an effigy of Winter is built and placed in the main square. Housewives begin to bake pancakes, the first of which should be treated to a poor and disadvantaged person so that he remembers his deceased relatives. Matchmakers come to visit each other.

Tuesday - Flirting

On Tuesday, people also go out for pancakes, go to fairs, and go sleigh rides. In addition, this is the day of bride viewing and matchmaking in order to have a wedding after Lent.

Wednesday – Gourmets

Mothers-in-law invite their sons-in-law and other guests to enjoy their pancakes and show love and respect to their sons-in-law.

Thursday - Razgulay

From this day begins Broad Maslenitsa, when you can’t work, but you can walk and celebrate. Merry folk festivals with entertainment are organized: sleigh rides, fights, dancing, songs, jumping over a fire. And everything is accompanied by treats with pancakes and dumplings, sour cream and butter.

Friday - Mother-in-law's party

The day of the return visit of the mother-in-law and relatives to their sons-in-law for pancakes. The son-in-law’s task on this day is to show his affection and respect for his mother-in-law.

Saturday - Sister-in-law's gatherings

On Saturday, daughters-in-law traditionally invite their sisters-in-law, that is, their husband's sisters, to visit them, treat them to pancakes and give them gifts.

Sunday - Farewell to Maslenitsa, Forgiveness Sunday

On the last day of Maslenitsa they say goodbye to winter and burn an effigy with the remains of the festive food, and the ashes are scattered across the field. This ritual is accompanied by mass celebrations and theatrical scenes. After the evening church service, people ask each other for forgiveness for the troubles caused and possible offenses in order to enter Lent with peace in their souls. Also on this day, deceased relatives are remembered.

Maslenitsa week, in fact, is a preparatory stage for Lent and is dedicated to reconciliation with neighbors, establishing good relationships and forgiving grievances.

Maslenitsa is one of the most revered holidays among the people, symbolizing farewell to winter and the imminent arrival of the long-awaited warmth of spring. In this regard, we will tell you what date it will be in 2017. Fun, sincere joy, lively mass celebrations - this is what characterizes a special week of the year, filled with preparation for Lent and anticipation of spiritual and physical cleansing.

This is one of the holidays that have come down to us through the centuries. Even the strict canons of Christianity did not break the tradition, and after several centuries of desperate struggle, the church hierarchs were forced to include it in the calendar. So, if earlier Maslenitsa, or Komoeditsa, was tied to the day of the spring equinox, now it is a mobile holiday. It begins a week earlier than Lent, is celebrated for a week and ends with Forgiveness Sunday.

Maslenitsa celebration date in 2017

Features of Maslenitsa: history and customs

These days in Orthodoxy are imbued with special meaning and symbolism. The main feature approved by the church charter is the refusal of meat and the consumption of dairy products, which is associated with the first calving of cows after the winter “downtime,” as well as the preparation of pancakes, which are so similar to the sun. Another interesting detail is connected with the Ukrainian and Belarusian customs of “block life” - dressing up a thick stick in the shape of a person. She was tied to all the single guys and unmarried girls. By the way, it was on these days that engagements and marriages most often took place, and for already married young people they organized public viewings, with passionate kisses while snow fell.

Maslenitsa is also a typical women's holiday. The seven days of festivities are sometimes called Babskaya Week, because the main role was given to the fair sex, the theme of girlish purity, host hospitality and motherhood.

“Seeing off Maslenitsa” has always been of key importance, which was accompanied by the symbolic lighting of a fire with the subsequent destruction in the fire of an effigy of Winter made from rags and straw. Instead of a doll, a living personification of the holiday was carried through the villages - a smartly dressed girl or woman. The most important day of Cheese Week has always been considered Sunday - the day of fasting, which received the popular name. On this day, family and friends sincerely asked each other for forgiveness for all the troubles and insults caused over the past year. It was also customary to visit deceased relatives in cemeteries and “treat” them with pancakes.

Every day is a holiday: symbolism of 7 days

Maslenitsa in 2017, according to historical tradition, will consist of 7 days, each of which is imbued with a unique meaning.

1. The beginning of the narrow Maslenitsa, or the Meeting - Monday, February 20th. On this day, it is customary to start baking pancakes, giving the first unsuccessful one to the deceased, go out into the streets to build snowy mountains, make a winter scarecrow, send the daughter-in-law to her parents’ house, and in the evening go to visit the matchmakers.
2. Tuesday, February 21 – Flirting is a time of entertainment, filled with positive things in the form of slides, mummers and the organization of theatrical performances, fun concerts, visits to guests, rides from icy slides, brides' shows. Those who did not show decent “sports” results on Monday tried to make up for it through fun and amusement. On Tuesday, fun games and treating each other to pancakes began.
3. Skoromnaya Wednesday, February 22, also called Lakomka, should be held under the motto of hearty feasts at the mother-in-law with all sorts of goodies (homemade beer, honey gingerbread, sbitny) and, of course, pancakes with a variety of fillings. In the middle of Maslenitsa week there was a pancake competition to see who had the most and tastier treats.
4. At the turning point, or “Wide”, Thursday, February 23, also called Rush, marks the middle of the festivities. At this time, it becomes really “hot”: from fist fights, funny dances, horse racing and riding through the streets - all the negativity spills out through these actions. Household chores are replaced by all sorts of fun - swings, songs, fire jumping competitions and feasts.
5. Friday- These are Mother-in-law's evenings with the tradition of visiting one's sons-in-law, by personal invitation, as a symbol of honoring the wife's family. Every custom of this day is aimed at speeding up weddings and finding a couple for still free young people, so you can safely go out into the world.
6. Saturday- also get-togethers, but this time the sisters-in-law, when not only the husband’s sisters are invited to visit, but also all his other relatives, who are given gifts. Unmarried girls can invite friends. The culmination of the holiday is coming - farewell to Maslenitsa, as bright and unforgettable as possible, so that it will be remembered until next year.
7. On February 26th they close Cheese Week with Forgiveness Resurrection, or a kisser - a day of cleansing from all sinful things and the remission of all voluntary and involuntary insults. On this day, it is advisable to thoroughly wash the dishes and burn all the leftover holiday food, and scatter the ashes of the burnt scarecrow over the fields so that the coming year will be fruitful. On Komoeditsa no one had the right to stay at home, neither the old nor the baby. People came out into the elegantly decorated square. Here they held round dances, sang ritual songs, and competed in strength and dexterity. And at the end of the holiday, an effigy of Madder was burned as an image of the old life.

It is worth noting that Ancient Rus' during Maslenitsa week turned into a huge theater of ritual actions: bright, festive and always fun. After all, parting with the cold princess Marena was expected, and the well-being of the coming year depended entirely on each actor, how much he “get used to the role”, how effective his future was supposed to be. But if before the advent of Christianity, after Maslenitsa, intense life activity and the following joyful holidays began, now days of great humility and sorrow are coming. Agree, the difference is cardinal.

How Maslenitsa is celebrated in 2017 in Moscow

In recent years, holidays have been organized in the capital on a grand scale. Moscow authorities will prepare an expanded list of events. The main site will be located on Red Square, and small Maslenitsa zones will be organized by municipal administrations. Bright decoration and pancakes with dozens of fillings, music and burning of effigy, competitions and folk festivals - everything will be the same as thousands of years ago.

Celebrate Maslenitsa in 2017 so that you remember it all year long!

Maslenitsa week 2017 - by day: folk signs. Today the Slavs began Maslenitsa week. It will end with fun festivities, but every day has its own signs and superstitions. This is what we want to talk about - it’s so wonderful to observe the traditions of our ancestors.

Maslenitsa week 2017 - by day. Folk signs say that every day of Maslenitsa is special. In general, the week is divided into two parts. And if in the first part all the people are getting ready - they can clean, wash, finish all the necessary things, then in the second part the people are just walking. The first part of the week is called Narrow Maslenitsa, the second - Broad Maslenitsa.

So, day by day. Monday is called a meeting in Maslenitsa week. On this day, the daughter-in-law and mother-in-law were sent home to their parents. In the evening they came to them for dinner, where they threw a big pancake party. Also, on the first day of this week, it was customary to make a scarecrow, which was set on fire on Sunday. In some countries and regions of Russia, it was customary to transport it through the entire populated area.

Tuesday is called flirting. On this day, the groom's parents evaluate their future daughter-in-law. This also happens at the table, on which there must be pancakes. This was done in ancient times in order to arrange a wedding immediately after Lent.

Wednesday is delicious. The same day for son-in-law and mother-in-law. A woman must definitely bake pancakes on this day and invite guests. The main guest at her table should be her son-in-law. In this way, the wife's mother demonstrates her good attitude towards her son-in-law. By the way, there is no need to invite your son-in-law home on this day. He should know about this himself, but he must come with a gift.

Maslenitsa week 2017 - by day. Broad Maslenitsa begins on Thursday. They called this day “revelry”. On Thursday, during Maslenitsa week, the real celebration began and all household chores ended. Everyone went out and had fun: they rode horses and organized a variety of competitions. One of the most common competitions was fist fights. In the evening everyone had a feast. Everyone ate and had fun - they jumped over the fire and sang songs.

“Mother-in-law’s party” - that’s what Friday is called. On this day, mother-in-law went home to her son-in-law. Now it's his turn to show good disposition. The pancakes, of course, were not baked by the son-in-law, but by his wife, the mother-in-law’s daughter. That evening the woman always took her friends and relatives with her.

“Sister-in-law’s gatherings” are Saturday. Young girls invite their sisters-in-law (husband's sisters), as well as their friends, to their home on this day. In general, most often, all the male relatives come to visit. There are celebrations and a feast with pancakes and flatbreads.

Maslenitsa week 2017 - by day: folk signs. Sunday, of course, is called “Seeing Off.” It was on the last day of Maslenitsa week that the effigy made on Monday was burned, and the biggest festivities were held. By the way, this particular day is also called Forgiveness Sunday. On this day you need to ask for forgiveness from all relatives and friends. In the evening, it was customary to put away all the remaining food, wash the dishes and remember the dead.

Maslenitsa is celebrated in 2017 with February 20 to February 26, and on the 27th the Orthodox Christians begin Lent.

Every year, a week before Lent, Maslenitsa is celebrated. It is believed that this holiday originated during the period of Kievan Rus. The exact date is unknown. But what is known for sure is that on Maslenitsa it is customary to eat pancakes, have a lot of fun and burn an effigy.

The holiday was so iconic that neither the advent of Christianity, nor wars and revolutions, nor even “communism” could cancel it. Moreover, most customs have come to us practically unchanged. They say that in ancient times there were two stuffed animals - Maslenik and Maslenitsa - symbols of certain deities, the embodiment of a man and a woman.

The celebration took place at the spring solstice and symbolized the arrival of the New Year. It is generally accepted that it was then that the saying “How you celebrate the New Year is how you spend it” was born. Most likely, this is the reason that the whole week was filled with a variety of fun and abundant food, symbolizing a prosperous life.

With the adoption of Christianity, this cultural heritage received a new name “Cheese Week” and became a kind of preparation for Lent. With the beginning of Maslenitsa, it is forbidden to eat meat except fish, but dairy products are still allowed. The main dish is pancakes. The pancake symbolizes the sun. At this time of year we said goodbye to winter and welcomed spring.

Femininity of Maslenitsa

A special feature of the holiday is its certain “femininity”. This period was popularly called “Woman’s Week.” It was believed that women played the main role in most rituals. There were many engagements on Maslenitsa, and marriages were often concluded. Particular attention was paid to girlish innocence, motherhood, and female wisdom.

Procreation is an important element of Maslenitsa. The pagans greatly valued the idea of ​​the circle of life. Mother Earth gave life to the food that fed man. In turn, a person is obliged to give life to another, continuing the race.

The holiday was also a memorial. The pagans were confident that their ancestors, whose soul was in the land of the dead, and whose body was in the earth, influenced the fertility of the latter. In order not to anger them, a sacrifice was carried out, which was accompanied by mourning crying and plentiful meals. All this was called a funeral feast.

Forgiveness Sunday

Maslenitsa ends with “Forgiveness Sunday.” It is customary on this day to ask for forgiveness from friends and relatives and to do good deeds.

Maslenitsa is not a church holiday. With the advent of Christianity, its sacred content practically disappeared, leaving us only with its external surroundings and gaiety.