Maslenitsa week of the year. Features of celebrating the last four days of Maslenitsa

The date of Maslenitsa, one of the oldest agricultural holidays of the solar circle, is not constant and falls every year on different time. What date is Maslenitsa in 2017? This time, this cheerful and hearty holiday celebrated from February 20 to 26. The people's favorite holiday is Maslenitsa, the closest relative of the ancient Roman Saturnalia, the French Mardi Gras (Fat Thursday), the Brazilian carnival, it symbolizes the victory of the sun over darkness, spring over winter, life over death. Therefore, in all Maslenitsa events and customs, motifs of fertility rites, commemoration of ancestors, spells of the forces of nature, and sympathetic magic (magic of similarity) constantly slip through.

Although Orthodox Church included Maslenitsa in the cycle of pre-Easter rituals (the holiday takes place in the eighth week from Easter), in all its manifestations pagan signs and symbols are much more noticeable than Christian ones. In fact, the only influence of Christianity is the ban on meat food (that’s why the oil week is also called “semi-lenten” or “raw week”) and the custom on the last day of asking each other for forgiveness for the entire last year(Forgiveness Sunday).

The meaning of the Maslenitsa holiday is that farmers, whose well-being and very life depends entirely on the Sun, try to support it, to help at a difficult moment, when it has weakened in the fight against winter darkness and cold. To help the luminary, during the oil week they burned bonfires or cart wheels soaked in resin mounted on high poles, and competed in dexterity, getting the sun bird - a white or red rooster - from a high pole.

People called Maslenitsa “cheerful”, “drunk”, “glutton”, “ruiner”. But even the most low-income family She spared no expense on holiday treats and outfits. This was sympathetic magic or the magic of similarity: a rich table and a rich dress were supposed to “lure” future prosperity.

But the main symbol of Maslenitsa, which has survived to this day through all historical eras, political and ideological vicissitudes, was and remains His Majesty Pancake - a symbol of the Sun, just as hot, round, rosy! And since in Rus', from time immemorial, pancakes have also been a ritual funeral food, then by treating ourselves to pancakes, we also renew our connection with our ancestors, with the world of spirits.

It was not for nothing that the first pancake, the one that was “lumpy”, was placed on the roof, higher up, on a dormer window, or under the guard, by some nimble child or dashing fellow, as a memorial sacrifice to the ancestors.

But last damn When all the dough remaining in the kneading pan was poured onto the frying pan, according to tradition, they tried to make it thicker in order to distribute it to all the cattle. Having tasted this treat, cows, horses, sheep and other living creatures simply had to become just as fat and shiny, well-fed and healthy.

If we open old cookbooks, for example, “Advice for a Young Housewife” by Elena Molokhovets, we will see an abundance of recipes for holiday pancakes. Only as a last resort and a quick fix The dough was allowed to be made with sour milk and soda. And all because the correct, traditional Maslenitsa pancakes must certainly be made with yeast, moreover, they were placed on dough, that is, the dough was made very rich, with big amount eggs, fat, etc.

A good housewife's pancakes came out thin, transparent, lacy. They often made pancakes “with a bit of heat.” A little less dough than needed was poured into the frying pan, and when it “set”, some filling was laid out on top and more dough was added. Then the pancake was turned over and finished baking on the other side. The pancakes were thicker than usual, but tastier and more satisfying. Chopped eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, mushrooms, and vegetables were most often used as a baking dish.

Pancakes were eaten with butter, sour cream, fish, caviar, honey, etc.

But the Maslenitsa menu did not end with pancakes. All week, and especially from Thursday to Sunday, when friends and relatives actively visited each other, the tables were bound to be laden with dishes, certainly filling and fatty.

The first one was usually cooked different types fish soup, mushroom noodles. For the second course - again fish and mushrooms in all types and guises, cheeses, cottage cheese and dumplings, fried, boiled and baked eggs. Butter pies and cheesecakes, rasstegai and rybniki, kapustniks and kulebyaki “on four corners” - with mushrooms, cabbage, fish, eggs. And also pretzels, gingerbreads, buns!

After celebrating at home, they went outside to ride sleds and rope carousels, fight with fists, and carry Lady Maslenitsa from yard to yard on a leaky boat or in an old sleigh, but decorated with motley rips. At the same time, songs were sung with funeral motifs, but with cheerful, ditty, even obscene, words.

And all this riot continued until Sunday evening, when Orthodox people burned an effigy of Maslenitsa in the square, hoping that along with it all troubles, illnesses and misfortunes would burn and disappear into smoke.

The remains of the generous treat were also thrown into the fire, fed to livestock, or given to “non-Christians”: after sunset, all this food was considered “filthy”, and a good Christian could no longer eat it.

On the last day Oil week, Forgiveness Sunday, one should ask forgiveness from friends and relatives for all voluntary and involuntary offenses and offenses.

The holiday of gluttony, rioting and wine drinking ended with the ringing of bells, calling believers to the temple for the evening service. Lady Maslenitsa left and Great Lent began.

Well, knowing what date Maslenitsa is in 2017, everyone has a chance to properly prepare for it. 😉

Do you want to know what kind of holiday Maslenitsa is and what day they burn the effigy on Maslenitsa in 2019? This is what we will talk about today.

This holiday has been celebrated in Rus' and many other countries since pagan times. During Maslenitsa week, bonfires are lit, fist fights, sleigh rides, festivities and noisy feasts are held.

Mummers in animal costumes, with tambourines, balalaikas and other folk instruments, go around their neighbors and friends, congratulate them on the holiday and sing carols, for which they receive a treat.

When is the effigy burned for Maslenitsa in 2019?

The start date of Maslenitsa varies from year to year depending on when it begins Lent. According to tradition, this holiday is celebrated for seven days, each of which has its own name. In 2019, Maslenitsa week lasts from March 4 to March 10.

The day on which the effigy of Maslenitsa is burned in 2019 ends the week of this holiday. This day is called Forgiveness Sunday, and the straw effigy of Maslenitsa is a symbol of winter, and people burn it and ask each other for forgiveness for previous offenses.

When will they burn an effigy on Maslenitsa in 2019? Forgiveness Sunday will be celebrated on March 10 this year. Nowadays, as in the old days, fairs, sleigh rides and festive festivities will be held in cities and villages on this day.

The custom of burning an effigy on Maslenitsa appeared in ancient times. Maslenitsa was considered one of the main calendar pagan holidays. Its popularity among the people was so great that even after the adoption of Christianity, many rituals remained almost unchanged.

Why do they burn the Maslenitsa effigy?

In the fall, after harvesting, the peasants left the last bunch of straw. On Maslenitsa they made a stuffed animal out of it and on the last day Maslenitsa week they solemnly carried it through the entire village, and then burned it, drowned it in an ice hole, or tore it into pieces.

What does burning an effigy mean on Maslenitsa? It was believed that, together with the burned effigy, people would get rid of the hardships and misfortunes that accompanied them in the past. Old things were usually thrown into the fire on which the effigy was burned so that all the bad things would be left behind.

This ritual was also a symbolic sacrifice higher powers, which were supposed to send the peasants a good harvest in the coming year (for this purpose, the ashes and straw left after the burning of Maslenitsa were scattered across the fields).

Ancient sunny holiday Maslenitsa is very popular among the people and in our time - this folk holiday celebrated cheerfully and on a grand scale, just like 200 and 500 years ago. In order to find out what date Maslenitsa is, you need to look at church calendar: Maslenitsa is now celebrated a week before Lent. Although the ancient Slavs celebrated Maslenitsa in early February, and the name of this holiday was Komoeditsa. But the ancient meaning of this folk ritual continues to this day. And today I celebrate Maslenitsa or the invocation of Spring also widely and cheerfully: tables with pancakes and samovars are set up on the streets, and funny joke performances are organized. The Maslenitsa holiday can be observed and celebrated for a whole week. Maslenitsa is ancient Slavic holiday, dedicated to the Sun, the meeting of spring and the birth of a new life. Maslenitsa and its date now change every year. Maslenitsa 2017 and its date are tied to Lent, which begins immediately after Maslenitsa week. Maslenitsa 2017 begins on Monday 20 February. Maslenitsa and its date fall this year at the end of February: the last day of Maslenitsa is February 26.

Maslenitsa has always been the most happy holiday, where all the people walked widely. It was believed that his luck and prosperity throughout the year depended on how cheerfully a person lived during the Maslenitsa week.

We were looking forward to Maslenitsa week unmarried girls- at this time it was possible to spell pancakes for the love of your chosen one, as well as tell fortunes using pancakes.

The love spell that the girl made on Maslenitsa was considered very effective and powerful in love magic. In addition, during Maslenitsa anyone can change their destiny for the better or look into the future.

On the first day of Maslenitsa you need to ask the Sun to fulfill your wish.

To do this you need to get up at sunrise, wash your face cold water, prepared in the evening, which stood under the moon in an unscrewed vessel. Then you need to look at the sun and cast a spell to make your wish come true:

“As the red sun rises early in the morning,
Illuminated with a clear light all honest people,
So my house will be filled with joy,
And my wish (to say) will come true. Amen!"

After this, you need to bow to the sun three times, the lower the better.

Sunday of Maslenitsa week is favorable for performing rituals for wealth and increasing income. To do this, early in the morning, before the very beginning of the holiday, on Sunday, go out to the square where Maslenitsa was celebrated and look for a coin. If you find it, then you need to put the coin in your right pocket with the words: “Just as a butter coin in (your name)’s pocket feels good and warm, so other money will feel good in (your name). How many snowflakes fall on Maslenitsa, that’s how much money (your name) will have all year. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

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's on Thursday that it all starts fun time during Maslenitsa week. 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 are interesting sign- whoever rolls the farthest 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 insults 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.

Traditionally Maslenitsa considered in Russia to be one of the best of the year. As you know, the beginning of the celebration of this holiday changes every year, but at the same time, this holiday always lasts a whole week, during which it is customary to organize festivities, visit guests and have fun.

Date and beginning of Maslenitsa 2017

In 2017, Maslenitsa week will last from February 20 to February 26, foreshadowing the coming Lent.

Originally, this holiday was pagan, containing three components: celebrating the arrival of spring in the hope of a fertile year, meeting young people to start families and continue the family line, and tribute to ancestors who, after death, ended up not only in the afterlife, but also in the body of the earth , have become part of nature, which means they also influence the harvest, and therefore life.

Traditions of Maslenitsa

They began to celebrate Maslenitsa and prepare for it two days in advance - they baked pancakes (and the first pancake was always given to the poor), children collected bast shoes from around the yards. The guys with them ran up to passers-by and asked if they were bringing Maslenitsa. If the answer was negative, then the children beat the poor fellow with bast shoes.

Maslenitsa week began with Little Maslenitsa, which lasted three days. These days they continued to work, prepared a lot of foods (pancakes, pies, flatbreads, dumplings, cheesecakes), and began to build a snow town. In the first three days, the groom's family came to visit the bride's family for acquaintance and matchmaking.

Wide Maslenitsa in 2017 - these are the last four days of the holiday

It began with Razgul - Maslenitsa Thursday, all household work was completed, general fun began: fist fights, sleigh rides, competitions, common tables were set up, where food was brought and everyone who did it was treated. The favorite pastime of the Slavs was jumping over a fire. Maslenitsa songs were heard everywhere, accompanied by caroling.

Maslenitsa ended with the honoring of ancestors. Women went to the cemetery, brought pancakes and vodka to the graves, and begged for forgiveness. At home they continued to eat holiday dishes However, they did not clean up the dishes after themselves; on the contrary, they took out all the leftover food and left it on the table, so that when everyone fell asleep at night, the ancestors could come out from behind the stove and eat too.

Last day of Maslenitsa

On the very last day of Maslenitsa (February 26 in 2017), a straw effigy was burned, personifying winter and last year’s dried-up harvest. The ashes from Maslenitsa were scattered across the fields. Maslenitsa ended with cleaning: they cleaned all the dishes, burned the leftover food, and left nothing for the next day. For believers, the time of Great Lent has come.