The ancient Slavic holiday Maslenitsa harmoniously combines church and pagan rites. It lasts seven days before the Great Lent and is marked by merry festivities and feasts. Some traditions and signs for the Shrove week are relevant in our days.
Folk features for the Shrove week
Shrovetide - the farewell to the winter - it was customary for the Slavs to celebrate in a big way. All week long (it was called pancakes, cheese, etc.) songs did not abate, folk festivities were held with games and competitions. The main Maslenitsa sign touched pancakes (hence the other name - Pancake). Their baking and eating symbolized the beginning of spring. Pancakes in Russia were attracted to the sun, treated to all friends, acquaintances and strangers. People believed that by their actions they will increase fertility in the coming year. Many of the customs and characteristics of the oil week are related to harvest and weather changes.
People's signs for the Shrove week - the weather
For centuries, our ancestors noticed, predicting the weather phenomena for the next year and this was important, as life and well-being depended on the rich harvest. Formed signs for the Shrove week about the weather:
- How many pancakes baked on the holiday mistress, so many sunny and happy days waiting for the family in the coming year, but here it is important to know the measure. Few pancakes - lean summer, and too much - for drought.
- The frost hit the holiday - the weather will be warm in the summer months.
- On Thursday, the oil week, it began to snow - a warming was expected, on Friday - a cold snap.
Wedding at Shrovetide week - signs
A generous festival punished to have fun all seven days before Lent. Particularly welcomed, if during this period the young decided to get married. According to folk signs, the wedding in the Shrovetide week promised luck in the lives of lovers, calmness and dimensionality in the relationship. Snow falling on the day of the festival was a sign of blessing. The newlyweds were always honored, and they did not skimp on the treats, but the weddings, however, were not held.
To give birth to the Shrove week - signs
The most popular signs for the Shrovetide week for girls always concerned vital events: weddings and the birth of children. Carnival associated with fertility and land, could tell a lot about the future baby to pregnant women, even point to the sex of the baby:
- if the child first stirred in the "female" days (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday) - the girl will be born, on other days, except Sunday - the boy;
- the birth of the boy foreshadowed the snow on Tuesday of the Shrovetide week, and the girls on Wednesday.
During the holidays, pregnant women asked for light birth from nature and the Lord: they put water on the window sill and watered their stomachs all week. If the water did not freeze - it meant that the Almighty heard it. And those who were lucky enough to be born in Pancake week, believed that their child will become famous for his exploits. Born in Forgiveness Sunday was lucky in business and smart.
The Traditions of the Shrovetide Week
Traditions and customs for the Shrovetide week are rooted in the past. A lot of rituals and rituals are kept by the people's memory. Many of them are obsolete, and some can be followed today. For every day of the holidays there are their traditions:
- Monday is a meeting. Mistresses begin to bake pancakes, the first given to the poor. Young people make a straw-rag doll and wear it all over the street.
- Tuesday - Flirting. Traditionally, on that day, they wooed brides and arranged bridesmanship.
- Wednesday - gourmet. The table puts the most delicious, and the son-in-law guests go to the mother-in.
- Thursday is binge. On the streets, the most lavish festivities began, ritual bonfires were scattered everywhere, they sang songs and arranged their favorite fun-taking an ice fortress.
- Friday - "Evening mothers" or guest. The return visit of the mother-in-law and all her relatives to the daughter's family, where they set a chic table. On this day it was not customary to linger at home.
- Saturday - "zolovkin gathering". According to custom, his wife was invited to the table for his gilded and girlfriends (or all married, or not).
- Sunday is the departure of winter, when the brightest, most ambitious festivities took place. It was customary to burn a straw effigy of the Carnival, and let the ashes go downwind or bury it in the ground. On this day, the tradition of asking forgiveness from all those close to them has been preserved.
What should you do in the Shrovetide week?
For those who do not have the desire or ability to adhere to each plan on the days of the week, there are basic recommendations for the spring holidays. What do they do for Pancake first?
- bake pancakes;
- go to visit;
- are amused;
- ask forgiveness from those around them on the last day of the holidays.
What can not be done at Shrovetide week?
When planning how to spend the Shrovetide week, people sometimes think about how the pagan holiday and the Christian foundations coexist. In the Orthodox calendar, seven days before the fast are called Cheese Week, and dictate certain rules for believers. This time is dedicated to a single goal: reconciliation with neighbors and preparation for repentance. It is not desirable during this period to do the following:
- to be sad and angry;
- to offend others;
- perform black and economic work (it is recommended to finish it the day before);
- refuse to eat and eat a little.
But the rules associated with the Great Lent , leave their imprint on the traditions of the holiday. Some people ask themselves: what can you eat on Shrovetide week? In addition to pancakes and fritters, the table should contain products such as cottage cheese, milk and cheeses. It is forbidden to eat everything meat. The body must be ready for great abstinence, which will last until Easter.
Some customs and signs for the Shrove week are forgotten with years, the main rule of this holiday with pagan roots remains unchanged: having fun and eating a lot. Regardless of the dates on which the Maslenitsa falls, it always marks the border between winter and spring, and this is the occasion for noisy fun. The attributes of the holiday are pancakes, a straw effigy, sleigh rides and other fun.