What happens at the carnival. Pancake week

Maslenitsa is one of the oldest Russian holidays. Pagan in origin, Maslenitsa peacefully "got along" 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 March 10, has its own name and purpose. "First Regional" tells what and where to do from Monday to Sunday on 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, everything happens on the territory of the daughter-in-law's house. She is sent to her parents in the morning, and in the evening her father-in-law and mother-in-law come for her, at the same time agreeing on a place for a common festivities.

On Monday, the construction of snowy cities, swings and booths for a mass holiday is being completed. An effigy 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 is supposed to be handed over to poor neighbors so that they, not being able to cook pancakes, commemorate the dead.

Tuesday is called Gamble. Guys and girls on this day get to know each other, ride the slides, go to each other for pancakes. Parents actively encourage this: it is customary to marry the young during Shrovetide week, because the church forbids weddings during Lent. The wedding, if successful, is played on Krasnaya Gorka - the first Sunday after Easter (in 2019 Krasnaya Gorka falls on May 5).

Lakomki is the third day of Shrovetide Week and the last day of the Narrow Shrovetide. On this day, the mother-in-law meets her son-in-law and his friends with a rich treat, and she herself watches the passing feast. By the taste preferences of the son-in-law, one can determine his character. It is believed that if a man reaches for pancakes with salty filling, his character is not easy. Sweet lovers are soft and affectionate.

On Wednesday you can eat plenty of pancakes.

Thursday, or Razgulyay, is the first day of the "Wide Maslenitsa". On this day, it's time to stop chores and start festivities.

Both young and old go out into the street to ride a sleigh, watch fistfights, battles for snowy cities, or become participants in them, sing. On this day ritual bonfires are burned and people jump over them.

Friday is called Mother-in-law evenings. On this day, a man meets his wife's mother. She should be formally invited. The mother-in-law comes to his house with her friends. At the table - songs, fun, good advice about family life.

True, the wife prepares treats for all those gathered.

The day of the sister-in-law, the husband's sister, falls on Saturday. It's called Zolovkin's gatherings. On this day, a woman should call her husband's relatives to her, the main of which is her sister. If she is unmarried, then it is supposed to invite unmarried friends to the house, but if she is married in the 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 the Seeing Off. On Sunday, the effigy of Maslenitsa is taken on a sleigh to the field. This is called the "Shrovetide train". Then the effigy is burned - this is the "funeral". The ashes are scattered over the fields so that the year is fertile. From now on, winter should leave, giving way to the sunny and warm spring.

With the advent of Christianity, the Shrove Tuesday became known as Forgiveness Sunday. On this day, it is customary to perform the rite of forgiveness in temples, to ask each other for forgiveness for all the offenses of the past year. In the evening, as on Monday, the dead are commemorated, if possible they visit the cemetery.

Keeping all the traditions of pancake week is fun and delicious. But in order 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 it, read

It is authentically known that Maslenitsa is one of the most important holidays of the pagan Slavs, but today, along with church holidays, adherents of the Orthodox religion willingly take part in Maslenitsa festivities. Another name for this festivities was Komoyeditsa, but now it is practically not used. The fact is that in the days of paganism, bears were called koma, and the bear could symbolize the patron of cattle and fertility, the god Veles, because it was he who was worshiped by the pagans.

Pancakes were also not an empty tradition - they were considered the personification of the spring sun, and the first pancake was given either to a beggar or a trained bear. That's where the proverb "The first pancake is lumpy" came from. Eating pancakes at the festive table was not accepted, because they have always been an attribute of a funeral, and not a festive dinner.

Maslenitsa is, in fact, the Slavic New Year, because the Slavs kept the chronology in years, and on the day of the vernal equinox, when they celebrated the holiday, a new circle of the sun began, and with it the new year.

Features of pagan rites

The peculiarity of the Maslenitsa festivities was that every ritual, every day was a sign of disposition towards the gods, people tried to attract their mercy, to put in a good word for a good harvest in the new year. That is why the people burned an effigy or made other sacrifices, the mention of which was partially preserved in ancient Russian legends.

In addition to entertainment and general joy, Maslenitsa had another, social significance. At evening parties and festive parties, the people supported neighborly communication, discussed many household issues, and also brought the young people together. Parents could look for a bride for their son, and brides could find a future husband and try to please him. Round dances, friendly meetings, feasts - all this was often just an excuse for getting to know each other, moreover, such holidays helped people diversify their difficult life.

They believed that the engagement was for life, therefore, during the festivities, the young people sacrificed curls to the forces of the Earth, and the housewives locked “good in the house”, so that they would have enough for themselves and the daughter-in-law.

Burning bonfires on Maslenitsa is also a ritual tradition, it was believed that the ancestors warm themselves by the fire, by the way, you also need to heat the bathhouse on Clean Thursday in order to “wash the spirit”.

But it was not customary to conduct rites of blood fraternization on Maslenitsa, this rite was considered serious and for agriculture, for the sake of the fertility of which Maslenitsa was celebrated, which had nothing to do with it.

Unity with the Church

The preservation of the pagan holiday in the church tradition is, of course, a compromise. Christianity, planted by force, met with a strong rebuff, to deprive the people of their favorite holiday and the belief that rituals would bring prosperity, was akin to a purposeful organization of a rebellion. Of course, over time, the church eradicated many traditions, the rituals were forgotten, a significant layer of Slavic culture was lost.

However, the traditions of Maslenitsa are so deeply rooted in the minds of the Russian people that to this day it is a special holiday, one of the most fun events of the year.

There are not many pagan holidays that have survived in modern Russia. Maslenitsa is one of them and is celebrated the week before the start of Lent. It begins on Sunday, which is popularly called "meat conspiracy", because it was on this day that one could eat meat for the last time before fasting. Therefore, all families tried to get together to arrange magnificent festivities. Many people called the holiday “perebukha”, “byedukha”, “fun”, “Wide Shrovetide” (after all, no one left the celebration hungry, and the housewives tried to bake as many pancakes as possible).

The history of Maslenitsa

The main inner essence of Maslenitsa is to prepare mentally for the beginning of a long and difficult Great Lent for the majority. This is a holiday of delicious and satisfying food, when no one denies themselves the desire to enjoy their favorite dishes.

It is interesting that in the times of the pagans it was a holiday of the spring solstice, when all people celebrated the New Year. The celebration lasted all week, and its program was very eventful. The name of the holiday was given much later, when there was a tradition to bake pancakes this week and it was already forbidden to eat meat. Pancakes were baked by the pagans, because in shape they resemble the sun.

Of course, during the existence of the holiday, there were many unpleasant situations when such festivities were attacked and even once were completely banned. This change was made by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who was very worried that during the celebration many men were seriously injured. Although no one has begun to fulfill these royal decrees, annually repeating all the customs of Maslenitsa.

But Catherine II and Peter I themselves were very fond of such festivities, when they could also ride a sleigh, go down a hill and eat hot pancakes. During their reign, Maslenitsa comedies organized by peasants were also quite often held. The main plot was the grandiose celebration of Maslenitsa, as well as many real events that had taken place over the previous year.

Shrovetide is the most beloved folk holiday in Russia

According to folk legends, people who celebrated Maslenitsa badly all the next year lived badly. That is why each family tried to cook as many hearty dishes as possible, invite guests, arranging a truly grandiose celebration. Often such feasts ended in the morning with dances and songs. And to this day, many are sure that Maslenitsa should turn into unbridled fun, when tables are bursting with food and everyone rejoices at the arrival of spring.

Of course, Maslenitsa is not only a lot of delicious food and drinks. This is a whole week of fun, dancing, horseback riding and sledding. It is a national holiday, because this week everyone had fun, walked, sang and greeted guests. Every day turned into a real feast, as each housewife tried to cook as many dishes as possible and bake pancakes. At this time, no one thought about work or household chores, because everyone enjoyed a lot of fun, and unmarried girls guessed at their betrothed. During joint skating, each of them tried to attract the attention of the guys and their parents, since in those days the choice of the future chosen one or chosen one largely depended on the decision of the father and mother.

Also, on Maslenitsa, they did not forget about the newlyweds who got married last year. According to folk customs, they were rolled in the snow, rolled down from the mountains, and relatives and friends came to visit almost every day. On the last day of the celebration, which is also called "Forgiveness Sunday", everyone asked for forgiveness from each other, and also forgave the grievances received from enemies or acquaintances.

Pancakes: where did the tradition of baking pancakes come from

Pancakes are loved by children and adults, they are eaten not only during Maslenitsa, but it is on this week that this dish has a special knowledge. At all times, housewives competed in making pancakes, because each of them had their own recipe. It was kept and passed down from generation to generation. Most often, wheat, oat and corn flour, pieces of pumpkin and apples, as well as plums were used to prepare this main holiday dish. Initially, the round shape of pancakes was chosen by the pagans in order to attract spring and please the god Yarilo. It was he who was one of the most revered in their religion.

The first ready-made pancake was always given to the poor, because it was baked in memory of all the dead. Pancakes were eaten all day and were often combined with other dishes. They were served with sour cream, jam or eggs, and wealthy families could afford to eat pancakes with caviar.

According to custom, pancakes were baked every day, since they were the main decoration of the festive table. Along with pancakes, the housewives also prepared honey sbitni and gingerbread, brewed beer and brewed fragrant tea. The samovar always remained hot, because this week it was customary to organize not only a family feast, but also often invite guests and participate in nationwide festivities.

Shrovetide effigy construction, Parsley and buffoons

During the festivities, men often arranged amusing fights, and women with children built a Shrovetide effigy from straw. Many families even rode it on a sleigh, accompanying this action with singing and dancing. The scarecrow was dressed in old women's outfits, had fun with it, and after the celebration was over, they were burned at the stake, which symbolized the end of winter.

The burning of an effigy and most of the other Maslenitsa traditions are aimed at quickly driving away the winter and meeting the long-awaited spring. This can also be said about the performances organized by the buffoons on the second day of the celebration. Of course, each of them tried to make the audience laugh, but Petrushka did it best of all. He was the main character in puppet theaters throughout the country, he was loved by both adults and children. Many passers-by took part in such performances, and some families held small comedy concerts at home.

Along with buffoons, trained bears could often be seen on the streets. Animals tried to show the girls who put on makeup in front of a mirror or bake the main treat of Maslenitsa - pancakes. In some cities of Russia, this tradition has been preserved to this day.

Maslenitsa is the last preparatory week before Lent. This holiday has pagan roots, which later became closely intertwined with Christian traditions.

The traditions of Maslenitsa have been formed for centuries. Shrovetide week has long been considered a time of joy and fun, which precedes a long period of strict abstinence and austerity - Great Lent. However, Orthodox rules prohibit excessive fun.

The pagan roots of Maslenitsa

In ancient times, when there was no Christianity in Russia yet, Maslenitsa was a holiday of winter farewells. People welcomed the approaching spring. They did it with dancing, fun and feasting.

According to legend, nature flourished at the time when Maslenitsa came. People tried to speed up the departure of cold weather by ritually burning an effigy, which symbolized winter itself. They threw unnecessary things into the fire to get rid of the negativity. These rituals are popular to this day. They do not contradict Christian canons, therefore they are not prohibited by the Church.

From time immemorial, pancakes have been prepared for Maslenitsa, which personified the Sun. As you know, in our time this tradition is treated as warmly as possible. Even Orthodox churches arrange days when everyone can come and eat a festive pancake in honor of the beginning of Great Lent. Before fasting, you can afford fatty foods, because people know that a long ban will be imposed on it soon.

This is a bright holiday that unites us all before the expectation of warmth and the Sun. All week long, people rejoice that the long-awaited spring will come soon.

Christian meaning of Maslenitsa

Christians celebrate this holiday because the introduction of the Orthodox faith was gradual and long-term. Rituals and ceremonies of pagan origin were eradicated for many centuries, and some of them were so important and well-established that the church decided to simply turn a blind eye to them. Shrovetide is the best example of this. It will not be possible to completely drive out traditions, because they will live forever with the Russian people.

Priests say that Shrovetide festivities should not go beyond the permissible level, because Cheese Week is the last week of preparing the fast, dedicated to the Last Judgment, which will be at the end of time and will affect every dead and every living person. The churches remember the teachings and words of the prophets about what will be the last moments of the life of mankind. This is a reminder to all believers that every person on Earth is equal before God. There are no exceptions.

The main thing on this holiday is not to abuse alcohol and not to forget about prayers. On Maslenitsa you can no longer eat meat, but you can eat milk, cheese and eggs. Don't forget also that this week ends with Forgiveness Sunday, when you need to apologize to everyone you offended. This day will teach you to forgive the sins of your offenders so that God can forgive your own sins. As the saying goes, "forgive, for you will be forgiven."

Use the Maslenitsa time to set yourself in the right mood before Lent. Visit the holy places of Russia or just be close to your family if you have a vacation or free time. Do not miss the opportunity to properly spend the week of the Last Judgment. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and

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Almost everyone knows about this holiday. But if you ask a specific question: what is Maslenitsa, the answers will sound quite different. For some, it is associated with fun and mass celebrations, someone sees in it one of the stages of preparation for. Well, someone will remember the famous cartoon by Robert Saakyants "Look, you, Maslenitsa."

All the above answers will be correct, because Maslenitsa is a holiday with many faces and contains a huge number of meanings and symbols. And yet, what is Shrovetide? Where did she come from? How was it celebrated before?

Maslenitsa: the history of the holiday. Why do Christians celebrate Maslenitsa?

The last day of Cheese Week is called. It completes a series of preparatory weeks for Great Lent. In total, the “introductory” period lasts 22 days, and during this time the Church sets the believers in the right spiritual mood.

Such close attention to the Lenten cycle is quite natural, because it is the core of the entire liturgical year in most Christian Churches. Fasting is a special time. This, as the poetess Natalya Karpova very aptly put it, "seven slow weeks, bestowed on you for repentance." This is a special rhythm of life. Naturally, radical changes in the soul are not made overnight, and serious preparation is needed here - both of the mind, and of the emotions, and of the body.

If we delve into history, we will see that Cheese Week is the oldest among the weeks before Lent. It appeared under the influence of Palestinian monastic practice - local monks spent almost the entire forty-day period before Easter alone, dispersing to desert places. By the beginning of Holy Week, they met again, but some did not return, dying in the desert. Realizing that each new post could be the last in their lives, the day before parting, the Chernorizians asked each other for forgiveness and exchanged warm words. Hence the name of this day - Forgiveness Sunday.

The tradition of eating dairy throughout the week - even on Monday, Wednesday and Friday - is also of monastic origin. After all, what is a desert? This is the lack of food, and sometimes - and water. Naturally, before such a test, you need to accumulate strength. Of course, we are not talking about the fact that these days the monks overate on quick meals. Just because of the upcoming ascetic period in their lives, fasting on Monday, Wednesday and Friday was canceled.

The laity adopted and developed this monastic tradition, but at the same time it received a slightly different meaning. A Christian layman does not need to go to any desert, therefore, the need for preliminary reinforcement of oneself with protein food disappears. But there is another point - there are many temptations in the world, and it is risky to refuse them immediately. Therefore, fasting restrictions began to be introduced gradually, and Cheese Week is one of those stages when it is no longer possible to eat meat and play weddings, but you can still have fun and get the joy of communication. However, do not get too carried away, remembering that the post is coming soon.

Pre-Christian history of Maslenitsa

Shrovetide is a primordially pagan holiday, known in Russia even before the adoption of Christianity and rooted in pre-Slavic times. Let's make a reservation right away - the Church tradition does not consider it "one's own", and there is no position with that name in the Orthodox calendar. But there is cheese week and week (Sunday) Cheesy, and they have a completely different meaning than the folk Maslenitsa.

I think, if we talk about the Slavic heritage, then here we can rather talk about why the Church nevertheless consecrated the pagan holiday and filled it with new ideas. The answer is very simple - Christianity is perhaps the most tolerant religion on Earth. It may sound strange against the backdrop of frequent statements from the outside about the intolerance of Christians, but it is true. Christianity is a religion of transformation, which does not level everything that comes into contact with it, but cleanses from sinful dirt and rethinks in the key of the Gospel.

The Church did not include Maslenitsa in its calendar, but, nevertheless, it melted it down, and it was this centuries-old influence of Christianity that made the once pagan holiday that bright and grotesque period that has been known for several centuries. Through the efforts of the Church, Maslenitsa lost its former sacred meaning and turned into a simple week of rest and fun.

Maslenitsa: the meaning of the holiday

Let's start with the fact that in ancient times this holiday was much more multifaceted than in pre-revolutionary times. It was based on a cyclical perception of time common to all pagan cultures, and the more archaic a civilization was, the more attention it paid to emphasizing this idea of ​​cyclicity.

Proto-Slavic Maslenitsa was celebrated at the beginning of spring - on the day of the vernal equinox, when the day finally won the advantage over the night. According to the modern calendar, this is approximately March 21 or 22. In the middle lane, on the territory of present-day Russia, in Belarus and Ukraine - the regions where, in fact, oilseed customs originated - the last days of the first spring month were always unpredictable. Either the thaw will come, or the frosts will press. “Spring and winter are fighting,” our ancestors used to say. And it was precisely on Maslenitsa that a certain milestone was held, until which the world was dominated by cold, and after that heat finally came. Everything was back to normal again, and this return of life was one of the main objects of celebration.

And where there is life, there is its multiplication. Shrovetide, in addition to the idea of ​​cyclicality, carries elements of the cult of fertility. The earth resurrected, absorbed the last winter snow, filled with juices. And now people had to help her, to give this process some sacred basis. In a more familiar language, the rites of Shrovetide are designed to sanctify the earth, fill it with strength so that it gives a bountiful harvest. For the peasants, who formed the basis of ancient Russian society, the harvest was the main value, so it is not surprising that special attention was paid to the Maslenitsa ceremonies. Shrovetide was a kind of pagan liturgy, only the role of God here was played by nature itself and its elements, to which the Slav brought an impromptu sacrifice.

The third - no less important point - the continuation of the family. The fertility of the earth finds its continuation in those who live on it and feed on its plants. If you eat the food that Mother Earth gave you, then you must give life to another. The idea of ​​the cycle of life, its bestowal and transmission to children was the key to pagan consciousness. Life itself was a fundamental value, and everything else was just a means to achieve it.

And the last thing that can be said about the sacred component of Maslenitsa. This holiday was also a memorial. The peasants believed that their ancestors, who were in the land of the dead with their souls and in the land with their bodies, could influence its fertility. Therefore, it was very important not to anger the ancestors and honor them with your attention. The most common way to appease the spirits was a trizna - memorial events, which included sacrifices, mourning crying, plentiful meals. It was believed that the dead themselves invisibly participate in feasts.

In fact, Maslenitsa was one of human attempts to get closer to the mystery of life and death, a kind of system in which the entire cosmos was perceived as an endless series of dying and resurrection, withering and flourishing, darkness and light, cold and heat, unity and struggle of opposites. By the way, unlike the Mediterranean and Western European cultures, intimate relationships were also perceived by the Slavs as something sacred, as a source of new life. And even the sweetness of intercourse was not a goal, but a kind of sacred background against which a new being was born. It's hard to believe now, but it's true.

After the adoption of Christianity, the sacred content of Maslenitsa practically disappeared, only its external surroundings and that gaiety that we know from the works of pre-revolutionary writers remained.

Traditions, customs and rituals of Maslenitsa

The first interesting custom is to eat milk food. We have already spoken about the fact that this is a church institution. But after all, butter, milk, cottage cheese, pancakes, sour cream stood on the tables of their ancestors long before the Baptism of Russia! The fact is that at the end of March, for the first time after winter, cows calved, and milk appeared in the houses. Since slaughtering cattle in winter is extremely unwise, and the old stocks of meat were coming to an end, dairy food and flour products were the main source of protein. Hence the name - Maslenitsa, Masnitsa, Pancake.

Another (perhaps even more ancient) name of this holiday is Kolodiy. It is connected with the custom, which in later times in Ukraine and Belarus. During the whole Kolodochnaya week, in parallel with other ceremonies, rural women performed an amazing act - “kolodochnaya life”. They took a thick stick-block, dressed it up and imagined that it was a person. On Monday, Kolodka was “born”, on Tuesday she was “baptized”, on Wednesday she “experienced” all the other moments of her “life”. On Thursday Kolodka “died”, on Friday she was “buried”, and on Saturday she was “mourned”. On Sunday, the culmination of Kolodiy came.

Throughout the holiday, women walked around the village with Kolodka and tied it to everyone who was still single or not married. They did not forget about the parents of non-family boys and girls. Of course, no one wanted to go with such a “label”, and therefore they gave women a certain payoff. They could be colored ribbons, beads or saucers, booze and sweets.

The next feature of the holiday - also characteristic mainly for Ukraine and Belarus - is its "femininity". Maslenitsa was called by the people - Babskaya week. It was perceived as a period during which, one way or another, it was the fair sex that played the main role in the fun rituals. In these days, engagements were held, and in an even more ancient era, marriages were concluded. That is, there is the very cult of fertility, which we spoke about above. At the same time, attention was paid to all aspects of female existence - both virginity (the idea of ​​a beautiful girl and a bride was praised), and motherhood (a mother woman, a guardian woman), and wisdom (an old woman, a woman adviser). It got "nuts" and negative qualities. For example, on Friday, the son-in-law had to invite the mother-in-law to his house, regale her, treat other guests with vodka and say: “Drink, good people, so that my mother-in-law does not dry up in the throat!”. It was a subtle allusion to the excessive talkativeness of his wife's mother. By the way, the so-called "sister-in-law gatherings" and, in general, women visiting each other are also part of the "women's" element of the holiday.

By the way, about food. This is a very important moment of all ancient Slavic holidays. When the family sat down at the table, they invited their ancestors to participate in this meal. Traditional pancakes also have a memorial origin. At the suggestion of the Russian folklorist Alexander Afanasyev, at the end of the 19th century, the view was established that a pancake is an image of the Sun. But there is another scientific version that among the Slavs pancake was the original funeral bread, which has a very deep symbolism. It is round (a hint of eternity), warm (a hint of earthly joy), made of flour, water and milk (a hint of life). The justification for the funeral origin of the familiar delicacy can be, for example, the following custom: On the first day of Maslenitsa, pancakes were placed on the attic dormer window - “to treat the dead”, or they were given directly to the beggars to commemorate the dead. So they said: "The first pancake for peace."

The funeral elements also include such customs as taking a snowy town or fisticuffs. Now this kind of fun is almost harmless, but before they were very dangerous to life. These are echoes of an even more ancient tradition, when the blood shed during such battles was perceived as a sacrifice to the spirits of the dead or to the gods themselves. At the same time, they did not seek to kill anyone, but it was precisely such a surge of energy, riot, rollicking that was filled with sacred meaning. The victim was effigy burning winters - this ceremony was performed at the end of the holiday, and the ashes of the effigy scattered across the field, consecrating the earth. The spring songs performed by girls in the forests, on the edges, in groves and on the banks of water bodies had the same sacred meaning - they seemed to call the forces of good to the earth, asking for blessings from Mother Nature at the beginning of a new harvest year.

And, probably, the most piquant tradition was the custom in some regions of modern Russia (for example, in the Arkhangelsk Territories) to perform the following action when seeing off Maslenitsa: imitated with their movements washing in the bath. In other areas, only the "Voevoda" was exposed and in this form he delivered a festive speech, which completed the festivities. It is difficult to understand the meaning of such a “striptease” now, but the ancestors put into it not only a funny, but also a philosophical meaning. It was a symbol of death, dying and birth. After all, a person is born naked, and conceives children naked, and dies, in fact, also naked, having nothing behind his soul that can be taken with him to the grave ...

Questions about Maslenitsa:

How does the Church view the pagan ritual side of this week?

Is it generally possible for Christians to participate in mass festivities on Maslenitsa?

It is hardly possible to answer unambiguously, and here's why.

On the one hand, Christianity rejects most of the philosophical messages of paganism. For example, the Bible is alien to the doctrine of the cyclical nature of time. She says that time is linear, that it, like all being, has a starting point, and that it is based on nothing other than the will of God. Also, the gospel thought denies the idea of ​​the animation of material nature, and yet this was precisely the way of thinking among the majority of pagans.

It is quite natural that, faced with the olive rites, the Church saw in them the expression of a system that contrasted sharply with the heritage of Christ, the apostles and holy fathers. Therefore, for a very long time I had to fight with the most terrible pagan customs. For example, the diocesan authorities made sure that the festivities did not turn into orgies, and fisticuffs or the capture of the town were not as life-threatening as before. Roughly speaking, there was a gradual desacralization of the Proto-Slavic Kolodii.

But, on the other hand, Orthodoxy did not completely destroy Maslenitsa as a secular folk holiday, in which there were quite positive meanings. This is respect for nature, and a reverent attitude towards women (especially in the traditions of the peoples of Ukraine and Belarus), and reverence for ancestors, and love for the past.

Well, is it possible for Christians to participate in mass festivities? A good answer was once given by the Monk Anthony the Great, with whom such a story happened. One day, a hunter who was shooting game in the desert noticed how the elder was talking with the monks, and they all laughed together and sincerely. What he saw confused the man, and he began to accuse the saint of idleness. In response to the attacks, he asked the hunter to take a bow and pull the string to the limit. The archer was indignant and said that the bowstring would probably burst if it was stretched beyond the prescribed. To this the old man replied:

- If, while talking with the brothers, we strain the bowstring beyond their measure, they will soon break. So it is necessary for once to show them a little indulgence.

It is clear that the monks of Anthony rarely laughed. But if even the monks, hardened by spiritual exploits, needed relaxation, then how difficult it is for a layman to live without elementary human joys.

Maslenitsa is a joyful holiday, and if it is held in the spirit of love and kindness, then there is nothing wrong when a person has fun on a snowy hill, skating rink, at a party or at home. It is very important that the holiday unites, not divides. So that it is associated with visiting the suffering, and with giving warmth to those who do not receive it.

And you can pervert anything you want ... And if a person knows that where he goes, there will be a libation, a roundabout (by the way, this is one of the popular names for Maslenitsa) and other indecencies, then, of course, it is unequivocally sinful to participate in them.

Maslenitsa in other Churches

Here again, it is necessary to distinguish between Maslenitsa and cheese week. Every nation that lives in that part of the planet where there is a clear change of seasons has a spring festival in its culture. The ideas of cyclicality, fertility, procreation and veneration of ancestors are inherent in almost all earthly civilizations, so here you can talk a lot about the spring celebrations of the peoples of the world.

FROM cheese week the case is different. It is in the calendars of all Orthodox Churches of the Greek tradition. It is also known to Western Russian Uniates - Orthodox, who recognized the primacy of Rome, but retained the Greek rite.

Latin Catholics have an analogue cheese week- Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before "Ash Wednesday" - the last three days before Lent, when it is allowed to eat fast food. In different European countries, these days have a variety of names, and in the popular mind are associated with carnivals - mass celebrations. Carnivals also have a pagan origin, and their meaning is approximately the same as that of the Eastern Slavs. In any case, it was. Now carnivals (like Shrovetide) are turning into a commercial event and a colorful show, which has completely lost touch not only with the ancient pagan, but also with the church tradition, too.

And, finally, it is worth remembering the feast of the Armenian Apostolic Church - Boon Barekendan("True Maslenitsa"). It is celebrated on the Sunday before Lent. This day is famous not only for rich treats, fairs and folk festivals, but also for the fact that the poor and beggars became the subject of everyone's attention and enjoyed the benefits of the public table. On Saturday before the True Maslenitsa, the curtain of the altar is closed for the entire period of Great Lent and opens only on the day of the Resurrection of Christ. On the day of Maslenitsa, the Liturgy in the Armenian Church is performed behind a closed veil.

Features of worship of the Cheese week

In principle, there are two such main features. First of all, the Charter forbids serving the Liturgy on Wednesday and Friday - as well as on fasting itself on all weekdays (a special service is celebrated during Great Lent on Wednesdays and Fridays). This is due to the fact that in Orthodoxy the celebration of the Eucharist is always a holiday and joy. And everyday Lenten services are permeated with a slightly different mood - the mood of "bright sadness." And the second - these days, for the first time in a year, it takes place. During fasting, it is repeated many times a day, and on Cheese Week it is done only twice, as if reminding that soon the soul will enter a completely different rhythm - the rhythm of intense prayer and repentance.