Maslenitsa 2024: history and rituals

Maslenitsa is one of the most cheerful holidays of the year, carefully preserving the centuries–old traditions and rituals of the Slavic peoples. It is dedicated to saying goodbye to winter and meeting spring, and lasts not one day, but a whole week!

Once this holiday was timed to coincide with the vernal equinox, and it was celebrated a week before and a week after that day. But with the advent of Christianity in Russia, the tradition changed: Maslenitsa began to be celebrated in the week before the beginning of Lent. Now the date of its beginning is associated with Easter. To find out, it is enough to count 56 days from the Easter date. In 2024, Maslenitsa is celebrated from March 11 to 17.

It is forbidden to eat meat during Shrovetide week, but dairy products can be consumed. Traditionally, these days people ate a lot of cheese, so it is also called Cheese Week. On Shrovetide, it was supposed to walk, have fun, bake pancakes, go to visit. It was also not uncommon for boys and girls to look at each other during Shrovetide week, and their parents would arrange a wedding.

The main symbol of Maslenitsa is pancakes. Round, golden hot pancakes served as a symbol of the sun, and were also traditionally a memorial meal in Russia, which saw off deceased relatives. On Shrovetide, it was customary to put the first pancake on the window or on the porch – for the ancestors, or give it to the beggars so that they would pray for the deceased. Each hostess had her own family recipe for buttermilk pancakes, passed down the female line from generation to generation.

Each day of the Carnival week has its own name and traditions.

Monday Is The Meeting. On this day, they began to bake pancakes and completed preparations for the festivities: they completed slides, swings, booths, a snow fortress, made an effigy of Maslenitsa and drove around the village.

Tuesday – The Games. It was the day of the beginning of the festivities and the day of the matchmaking.

Wednesday is A Treat. On Wednesday, a rich table was supposed to be set. Traditionally, the son-in-law went to visit his mother-in-law for pancakes.

Thursday is Revelry. The Broad Carnival began on Thursday. From that day on, it was forbidden to do household chores except for making pancakes and other treats. On the street, people rode sledges, carousels, danced, staged fist fights and stormed the snow fortress.

Friday is Mother–in-law's evening. On this day, the mother-in-law came to visit her son-in-law.

Saturday – Sister-in-law's gatherings. On this day, housewives were supposed to invite their husband's relatives to visit.

Sunday is a Forgiven Sunday. On the last day of Shrovetide week, people asked each other for forgiveness for all the insults they had caused over the year. This tradition has been preserved to this day. Also in the evening of this day, an effigy of Maslenitsa was burned on a ritual bonfire as a symbol of the passing winter.

We congratulate everyone on the beginning of spring and wish you a fun and delicious Carnival!