Maslenitsa by day - all about pancake week. Name of the days of Maslenitsa week Maslenitsa conspiracy - how to increase income
Maslenitsa is one of the oldest Russian holidays. Pagan in origin, Maslenitsa peacefully “coexisted” with the religious traditions of Christianity. From a week of farewell to winter, the holiday turned into a week before Lent - 7 days of rest, fun and hearty food.
Each of the days of Maslenitsa, which this year will last from March 4 to 10, has its own name and purpose. “First Regional” tells what and where to do from Monday to Sunday during Maslenitsa week.
Monday opens the so-called “Narrow Maslenitsa” - the first half of the week. Household work is allowed on these days.
The first day of Maslenitsa is called the Meeting. According to custom, matchmakers meet, and everything happens on the territory of the daughter-in-law’s house. From the very morning she is sent to her parents, and in the evening her father-in-law and mother-in-law come for her, at the same time agreeing on the place of the general celebration.
On Monday, the construction of snow cities, swings and booths for a mass holiday will be completed. A scarecrow of Maslenitsa is made from straw and old clothes, which is carried through the streets on a sleigh.
On the same day they start baking pancakes. The first one is supposed to be given to poor neighbors so that they, not being able to cook pancakes, will remember the deceased.
Tuesday is called Flirting. On this day, guys and girls get to know each other, ride down the slides, and go to each other’s pancakes. Parents actively encourage this: it is customary for young people to get married during Maslenitsa week, because the church prohibits weddings during Lent. In case of luck, the wedding takes place on Krasnaya Gorka - the first Sunday after Easter (in 2019 Krasnaya Gorka falls on May 5).
Lakomki is the third day of Maslenitsa week and the last day of “Narrow Maslenitsa”. On this day, the mother-in-law greets her son-in-law and his friends with a rich treat, while she herself watches the passing feast. You can determine his character by his son-in-law's taste preferences. It is believed that if a man reaches for pancakes with salty filling, he has a difficult character. Sweet lovers are soft and affectionate.
On Wednesday you can eat plenty of pancakes.
Thursday, or Razgulay, is the first day of “Broad Maslenitsa”. On this day it’s time to stop chores and start celebrating.
Both young and old go out into the street to ride a sleigh, watch fist fights, battles for snowy cities, or become participants in them, and sing jokes. On this day, ritual bonfires are lit and people jump over them.
Friday is called Mother-in-law's evening. On this day, a man meets his wife's mother. She should be officially invited. His mother-in-law comes to his house with her friends. At the table - songs, fun, good advice about family life.
True, the wife prepares refreshments for all those gathered.
The day of the sister-in-law, the husband's sister, falls on Saturday. It's called Sister-in-law's gatherings. On this day, a woman should call her husband’s relatives to her place, the main one of whom is her sister. If she is unmarried, then she is supposed to invite unmarried friends into the house, but if she is married in a church, family people should be next to her. All guests are treated to pancakes, and the sister-in-law is given a nice gift.
The last day of Maslenitsa week is Farewell. On Sunday, the effigy of Maslenitsa is carried on a sleigh to the field. This is called the “Maslenitsa train”. Then the effigy is burned - this is a “funeral”. The ashes are scattered across the fields to ensure a fertile year. From now on, winter should go away, giving way to a sunny and warm spring.
With the advent of Christianity, Farewell to Maslenitsa became known as Forgiveness Sunday. On this day, it is customary to perform the rite of forgiveness in churches, asking each other for forgiveness for all the grievances of the past year. In the evening, as on Monday, they commemorate the dead and, if possible, visit the cemetery.
Keeping all the traditions of pancake week is fun and tasty. But for Maslenitsa to be a joy and not a burden, you need to eat in moderation and choose only the right pancakes. How to do this, read
Instructions
Monday, the first day of Maslenitsa week, is called the Meeting. In the old days, on this day they began preparing for fun festivities - they built ice slides, fortresses, built swings, and made a straw effigy - a symbol of Maslenitsa. You can do the same around your home. Schedule your visits for the week and visits to you, determine the composition of the guests. Check your kitchen to see if you have everything you need to make pancakes. Buy what you need. On this day you can already bake pancakes. By the way, among our ancestors, the first pancake was always intended for deceased relatives and given to the poor.
The second day of Maslenitsa is Flirting. Most Maslenitsa rituals of this day boiled down to matchmaking. On this day, young people went to the bride, chose their grooms and brides. Invite your significant other – potential or real – to eat a pancake somewhere, or go skiing down the mountains.
Wednesday was Gourmand - on this day they set the tables and went to the mother-in-law for pancakes. Don't break tradition. Perhaps on this day, after eating delicious pancakes, you will be imbued with great respect and family feelings for each other.
Thursday - Take a walk. Although this day of Shrovetide week has many names - Breaking Point, Wide, Revelry, Revelry Thursday. Wide Maslenitsa begins - festivities to the fullest. Gather your friends for an outdoor celebration, arrange a comic fist fight, take the snow fortresses you built earlier, compete, and finally have a noisy feast at home. Throw out all the negativity that has accumulated over the winter.
Friday - Mother-in-law's evening. On this day, the mother-in-law comes to visit her son-in-law for a return visit. Don't forget to invite your relatives for dinner. Prepare a treat - bake pancakes, think about a variety of fillings. Show your affection for each other.
On Saturday - Sister-in-law's get-together - the daughters-in-law set the table for their husband's relatives. Prepare a gift for your sister-in-law - this is also required by tradition.
Farewell, or Forgiveness Sunday - the final day of Maslenitsa week. On the last day before Lent, ask each other for forgiveness for all offenses, remember your deceased relatives. Perform a ritual of farewell to Maslenitsa: to do this, invite friends out of town, to the dacha, build a scarecrow - a symbol of winter and burn it. Jump over the fire, taking precautions. Clean Monday, which begins Lent, is a time of cleansing from sins and bad thoughts. Go to the bathhouse on this day, or at least take a “meaningful” bath.
note
Invite your children to make a scarecrow or Maslenitsa doll from any available materials. You can put it on your hand and walk around neighbors and guests, chanting special Maslenitsa pestles.
Helpful advice
The main dish of the week is pancakes. Consider a variety of toppings. It can be either sweet - jam, cottage cheese with raisins, condensed milk, or salty - from vegetables, mushrooms, minced meat, chicken; salmon and caviar are especially welcome with pancakes.
Related article
Farewell to Maslenitsa (or in other words, winter or Kostroma) is an ancient Slavic holiday, borrowed by the Orthodox Church from paganism. At the end of mass festivities that lasted for a week, people made an effigy of winter from straw and burned it. Sometimes it was called Maslenitsa, Kostroma, Mara, and other names, depending on the region. This holiday marked the final victory of heat over cold and the turning of the sun “to spring.”
Instructions
The traditional dish served at Maslenitsa is pancakes. This is the spring sun, which from now on will brighten the earth. They acquired this status due to their round shape and golden color. Pancakes are eaten plain, spread with butter, with jam, caviar, fish, meat, and sugar.
Maslenitsa in the Orthodox calendar is raw, that is, at this time you can eat fish, dairy products and eggs, but meat is excluded. Pancakes containing milk (fresh or sour, or kefir), eggs and butter, comply with these canons.
The next day after Maslenitsa is Maundy Thursday, the first day of Lent, which precedes Easter. On this day, according to strict canons, strict fasting is prescribed; in some cases, even liquid consumption is not allowed. Compliance with this rule is not necessary if a person is not mentally and physically ready to fast for 24 hours. It is enough to simply exclude animal food: meat, milk, fish, eggs.
Sources:
- What is Maslenitsa, how should you prepare for it and how to celebrate it?
Maslenitsa week lasts seven days. It is customary to celebrate each day in its own way, because it symbolizes certain traditions.
There is a belief that anyone who does not celebrate Maslenitsa with dignity will live the whole year unhappy and frozen. Therefore, Maslenitsa is one of the most joyful and longest holidays of the year. After all, the festivities last a whole week, and each day of celebration is associated with certain traditions and means some kind of event.
Monday – “meeting”. On the first day of the holiday, we celebrated Maslenitsa with our fiancé. These were large straw effigies dressed in fancy costumes. They were transported on a sleigh throughout the village, and then they were seated in the place of honor and treated to pancakes. Nowadays it is customary to bake pancakes on Monday and invite relatives to visit.
Tuesday – “flirt”. On this day, joyful festivities and noisy round dances were held around the scarecrow of Maslenitsa. Young guys invited girls to ride down the slides and come over for pancakes. Performances took place on the streets, all people tried to dress up in bright costumes.
Wednesday – “delicacies”. The fairs continue to gain momentum, and the festivities are becoming larger. The third day of the week is the most satisfying, as you can eat as much as your heart desires. Each family tried to set the table with all sorts of goodies. In the modern world, on this day the mother-in-law should invite her son-in-law “for pancakes.”
Thursday - “wide revelry” or “turning point.” This day is the most fun during Maslenitsa week. One of the favorite pastimes was to set fire to a cart and lower it down a slope into a ravine. Fist fights were often held, and the bravest fought with the bear. In the evening, the costumed children collected treats and sang carols.
Friday is “mother-in-law’s evening.” On this day, a wide variety of rituals and fortune telling were performed to bring loving couples closer together and speed up weddings. Those who had not yet decided on a couple needed help finding one. It is customary for the son-in-law to show hospitality on this day and invite the mother-in-law to his place “for pancakes.”
Saturday – “sister-in-law’s get-togethers.” This day was the most family-friendly of Maslenitsa week. The young wife was supposed to invite her husband's sisters (sisters-in-law) to visit, give them gifts and treat them with delicacies. Of course, not only sisters-in-law, but also all relatives came to visit.
Sunday - “Forgiveness Sunday” or “kissing Sunday”. On the last day of Maslenitsa, everyone went home, kissed when they met and asked each other for forgiveness. They asked for forgiveness not only from relatives, but also from neighbors and even from the entire village. The forgiver had to say the phrase: “God will forgive.” Thus, people freed their souls from all sins before Lent. The culmination of this day and the entire Maslenitsa week was the burning of the straw effigy of Maslenitsa. And the remaining ashes had to be scattered over the fields so that the year would be fertile and fruitful. This is how Rus' saw off the winter and welcomed the long-awaited spring.
For a long time, Shrovetide week was considered the time to welcome the New Year, which means that the celebration took place on a grand scale and with joy. Horseback riding, screaming descents from an icy mountain, fragrant pancakes and, of course, the menacing effigy of Winter, who, having frosted people’s cheeks to her heart’s content, was sent off to be burned. Implementing traditions in a city is not easy, but, as we know, nothing is impossible.
National holiday Broad Maslenitsa
Walk around, Walk around!
Stop all your work!
Maslenitsa has spread
I brought treats!
They bake pancakes in Razgulay
In the frost here and there,
Digested with beer and honey,
The samovar prepares tea.
Everyone is out on the street in a crowd,
Rolling down an icy hill,
On the swing, in the booths -
Everyone is full and drunk from the pancakes.
Congratulations on Maslenitsa
Take a joyful walk! ©
Ditties about Maslenitsa on Razgulay
In Razgulay they sing and dance
Everything in our village!
From ditties and songs
Everyone is happy on Maslenitsa. ©
Help yourself! Eat, drink
And don’t spare your belly!
Maslenitsa is spreading -
Open your mouth wider! ©
Girls from the mountain high
They roll in the sled many times!
Who is the falcon guy like?
Will you keep an eye on Razgulay? ©
Here is the snowy town -
He is neither wide nor tall.
The battle is going on among the guys -
Bruises don't count now! ©
You can show strength
Conquer the town
And in that fist fight
Show your valor. ©
Even if your nose is broken,
There is no quarrel, no resentment -
Having embraced each other, they walk
Guys, pancakes are waiting for them. ©
Wait...
Razgulyay - skating “in the sun”
“According to the sun” - an ancient custom -
Roll around your villages:
The horses are harnessed to the sleigh,
They help drive away the sun from winter.
Congratulations on Maslenitsa
Take a joyful walk!
In cheerful, cheerful,
Cheerful Walk! ©
Congratulations on Maslenitsa
Ice slides,
Jokes, laughter -
In Razgulay crazy
Games for everyone.
Let the snowdrifts for now
Have fun, people!
To be productive
This year has become
Congratulations on Maslenitsa
Take a joyful walk! ©
To Razgulay congratulate
All relatives are not a sin,
Celebrate Maslenitsa
Lots of fun!
You don't have to be lazy
Eating pancakes together
Have fun on holiday
We are all born!
Congratulations on Maslenitsa
Take a joyful walk! ©
Congratulations to you today
Happy Maslenitsa, Happy Walking!
From Thursday let the feast be a mountain,
With a song, a mischievous joke.
So that all worries disappear,
Ordinary work
Everything went smoothly for you
And it wasn't heavy.
Congratulations on Maslenitsa
Take a joyful walk! ©
In Razgulay we will drive away the cold,
Have fun, old and young!
Greet everyone with pancakes
And welcome spring soon!
Pancake with filling and caviar,
Butter pancakes by the mountain.
In Walk away pancakes and sweets,
May joy reign throughout the year!
Congratulations on Maslenitsa
Take a joyful walk! ©
Maslenitsa is one of the most popular holidays in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. In addition to the religious overtones of the celebration, Maslenitsa week also has a unique flavor and traditions that have been created over centuries. How is Maslenitsa celebrated by day of the week, and how should one prepare for each stage of the celebration? Now you'll find out!
Day one - meeting (Monday)
Few people know what the days of Maslenitsa are called, especially among the younger generation. However, in this case, it is not the names of Maslenitsa days that are important, but the traditions inherent in this particular period of time. So, what traditionally should happen on the first day of celebration?
Traditionally, the first day was considered preparatory and the most modest in terms of public festivities. During this period, the father-in-law and mother-in-law sent their daughter-in-law to the matchmakers, and soon they themselves went to meet relatives.
Day two - flirting (Tuesday)
On this day, there were practically no noisy celebrations. The entire celebration boiled down to the matchmaking of brides. Potential grooms were invited to the house for a gala dinner with pancakes and flatbreads. It was believed that the strongest alliances were made during Maslenitsa week.
Trying to arrange the most magnificent viewing for the brides, the parents dreamed of organizing a wedding immediately after Easter, on Krasnaya Gorka, since the union concluded during this period was considered extremely strong and happy.
On the second day of Maslenitsa week, young people continued to have fun, sliding down the slides and making snow forts. The older generation was exclusively engaged in cooking and other household chores.
Day three - gourmet (Wednesday)
In the modern world, many traditions of Maslenitsa week have already been forgotten, but the ritual of going to your mother-in-law on Wednesdays for pancakes is still popular.
It was on the third day of the celebration that the son-in-law went to his wife’s mother to taste her treats.
The mistress of the house herself tried to put all the tastiest and best things on the table in order to show her affection for her son-in-law.
In addition to the son-in-law, his friends and numerous relatives were invited to the house, and often the celebration of the third day smoothly flowed into new celebrations.
It is also interesting that it was on the third day of the celebrations that the hostess of the house tried to put the maximum variety of pancakes on the table, demonstrating her own culinary abilities. So, for example, wheat, oat, buckwheat and many other versions of pancakes appeared on the table.
The richer the table was on the third day, the higher the rating of the mistress of the house.
Day four - revelry (Thursday)
On Thursday, Maslenitsa week experienced its turning point, and it was on this day that the most global and magnificent festivities began. This stage of the celebration is characterized by the following features:
The fourth day of Maslenitsa in Rus' was so large-scale in terms of celebration that often during this period all work was canceled, and people walked from morning until night. The most important activities were considered to be the making of fires of various sizes. By jumping over them, a person could cleanse his soul of sins. In fact, the ritual turned into a very fun, sometimes even dangerous game. Not only young people, but also everyone jumped over the fire.
In some provinces, rituals have noticeably transformed. For example, in some villages of Stary Oskol, young people staged traditional pranks. They locked all the doors in the house, covered the windows with snow, climbed onto the roof and changed into funny clothes there. This kind of fun was also common in other cities of the country. Also, traditionally, it was on Thursday that carols, special songs with religious overtones, began to be sung everywhere.
also in 
Traditional services dedicated to the holiday and the upcoming Lent were held in churches. However, services on Thursdays were not very popular, since during this period it was customary to have fun and attend various feasts.
Of course, on this day they continued to bake pancakes, but not only relatives were invited to visit, but also all acquaintances and even ordinary passers-by. Since everyone was preparing for Lent, it was considered good form to eat from the belly, simultaneously treating everyone who came to hand.
It was on this day that the largest festivities were held in the central squares, which died down only on Monday.
Day five - mother-in-law's evening (Friday)
After the mother-in-law's pancakes were eaten, a return visit was scheduled for Friday. The mother-in-law went to visit her son-in-law and her own daughter, where the main celebrations were held. What traditions exist for this day?
The festive table was traditionally prepared by the wife of the owner of the house.
It was believed that no one should help her, and the woman herself, by preparing various treats, had to prove her worth as a housewife.
Day six - sister-in-law's gatherings (Saturday)
This day was considered one of the most modest of the entire Maslenitsa week. For a while, large-scale festivities died down, and people tried to spend time either at home or visiting.
Traditionally, on this day, a young daughter-in-law invited her sisters-in-law to her husband's house. If the sisters-in-law themselves were not yet married, then unmarried girlfriends of the mistress of the house were invited to help them. If the sisters-in-law were married, then all the other guests had to be married. Girls rarely organized large-scale feasts, and for them the holiday was just an excuse to gossip and gossip about everyone they knew.
Already 
On this day, some families began to burn an effigy of Maslenitsa, saying goodbye to the holiday and preparing for Lent. Also, it was on Saturday that services dedicated to honoring the memory of ancestors and preparing for Lent began in churches. It was believed that on Saturday one should visit church to cleanse the soul and prepare for the main religious holiday - Easter.
On this day, many girls traditionally carried out fortune telling on their betrotheds or tried to look into their destiny. Men on this day could also gather in a narrow circle and have a feast, but still a large-scale celebration of the sixth day was considered wrong.
Day seven - farewell (Sunday)
Some of the largest celebrations took place on the last day of Maslenitsa week. From the very morning, people began to celebrate the end of Maslenitsa and the arrival of spring. What traditions were typical for this holiday?
In fact, although the holiday on Sunday was very large-scale, it did not last long. It began early in the morning, when people moved in a massive procession to the central square to burn the Maslenitsa effigy. These effigies were burned everywhere, even in the courtyards of their own houses or next to the road. Leftover food was thrown into the fire, as well as small images of Maslenitsa made from straw.
It was believed that burning tiny straw effigies would help get rid of sins and improve one's material condition.
Now the name of each day of Maslenitsa week is known only to the most ardent fans of this holiday. Moreover, now the celebration of each day is limited only to the preparation and consumption of pancakes, and some traditions have completely sunk into oblivion. Noisy festivities are organized in modern Russia only on the last day - with the traditional, ritual burning of an effigy.
On February 23, 2017, the first day of Broad Maslenitsa begins - Razgulay. On the fourth day of Maslenitsa week, which ends with Great Lent, nationwide fun and festivities continue.
Maslenitsa is a pagan holiday that, before the advent of Orthodoxy, marked the change of seasons. The celebration was accompanied by rituals to attract wealth, good luck and a good harvest. The traditions of Maslenitsa week have reached our times practically unchanged.
In Orthodoxy, Maslenitsa is not divided into days of celebration - it is a continuous week, called cheese week and dedicated to preparation for Lent. In accordance with the church calendar, Maslenitsa begins on a different date every year. In 2017, the celebration began on February 20.
Fourth day of Maslenitsa: Take a walk
Razgulay is the beginning of Broad Maslenitsa. From this day on, household chores stopped, and it was time for free fun. Our ancestors organized mass celebrations with swings and ice slides. Also on the wide Maslenitsa, the people were entertained by mummers and buffoons. There were tables with treats and hot drinks everywhere.
They lured spring and saw off winter with cheerful songs and ditties. Great importance was attached to rites and rituals that attracted good into the life of every family.
“Maslenitsa is at the gates! Hello, Maslenitsa! We ate our fill of pies, pancakes, and mushrooms! Hello, Maslenitsa. We ride on a sleigh and smile broadly. We welcome spring and bid farewell to winter!”
The most spectacular action was the game to capture a snow fortress - people split into teams, built walls out of snow and threw snowballs at the enemy. Everyone, young and old, took part in the fun.
In Razgulay, a traditional event was horse-drawn sleigh rides. The youth rode clockwise around the village, helping the Sun return to the sky and drive away the lingering winter cold.
Fist fights also served to release negative emotions that had accumulated over the year. All boys and men took part in these games, giving vent to stagnant energy and also attracting the glances of the opposite sex.
During pagan times, Razgulay was especially celebrated. It was believed that this time was the first meeting of spring. Housewives baked dough figures of larks and other birds, harbingers of warm sunny days. The children made whistles that imitated bird whistles. At sunset they went out of the outskirts and called for spring - they squeaked, whistled and made noise on their homemade whistles.
People also looked closely at the weather - an accurate indicator of the fertility of the year. If there were drops on this day, it foreshadowed a rich harvest of wheat. The wind predicted a good fruit harvest. Our ancestors believed that a strong wind blew out all the evil spirits, promoting renewal and joyful days, not overshadowed by bad news and troubles.
And of course, pancakes with various fillings were baked everywhere. They were treated to every guest, they were used to tell fortunes, and with their help they brought wealth into the house. The housewife who was lazy, according to legend, left the family without luck for a whole year.
Church officials urge Orthodox Christians not to forget that Maslenitsa is the week before Lent, during which it is necessary to devote time to prayer. Therefore, there is a ban on alcohol and excessively noisy celebrations. We wish you a happy Maslenitsa week, and don’t forget to press the buttons and
