Pancake week

Maslenitsa is a long-awaited Slavic holiday, which was celebrated with a big sweep. It is closely connected with the folk and church traditions, so that the oil week has gained entertaining and spiritual components.

Since the carnival is a week before the great post, its date varies depending on the beginning of the post. In 2015, it will be held from February 16 to February 22, in 2016 - from March 7 to March 13.

The festival originated in paganism. Initially, he shared the winter and spring seasons, forming a kind of popular calendar. In the church interpretation, he is called a cheese seed and implies a funeral before the great post, as well as spiritual cleansing, because it ends the week forgiven Sundays. The name of the carnival received its popular (and most common) from the fact that during the celebration, dairy products are allowed to eat, but with them - and butter.

In addition to the mentioned milk and its derivatives, eggs and fish are also allowed in the oil week. The prohibition remains meat. On Wednesday and Friday, the usual post is not respected, liturgy is not performed in the church.

Every day the carnival had its own special meaning. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were called narrow carnival, at this time it was possible to fulfill economic affairs. The remaining four days was assigned to the broad carnival, and all difficulties were banned:

Monday (called "Meeting") - time to go to visit to the matchmaker (the parents of a married man go to the daughter-in-law parents), where the plan of events is drawn up and the first pancakes are baked. Snow slops and swing, from straw and old things mashed the scarecrow to carnival.
Tuesday (ramps): Potential brides were held. Young people rode on the hills.
Wednesday (Lacquer): The son-in-law visited the mother-in-law, and she treated him pancakes.
Thursday (rampant): Loud festivities were arranged, the central event was the storming of the snow town, fisting battles and horse riding were also organized.
Friday (Vechechina Even): The son-in-law invited mother-in-house in his house, pancakes baked her daughter.
Saturday (Discoveries Sowing): Colanika and other relatives of her husband came to young married women.
Sunday (Wires): asked for a good luck, in the evening I remembered the dead. The remains of the festive meal and the scarecrow were burned, the ashes dispelled in the field.

Maslenitsa gave people so long-awaited vacation, the ability to spill accumulated emotions, recharge your positive. In addition, an occasion appeared again to gather with relatives or raise romantic relationships on fun events. And of course, to establish relationships on the day of forgiveness of Sunday to start a great post with a clean soul.

Today the carnival is not so fashionable, but still many of its rites are preserved. For example, in almost every family, pancakes or cakes are baking, and competitions on their very quick eating are arranged at the fairs. People are still going to companies and go to the epicenter of festive events - to concerts, entertainment shows and contests. Traditionally, they are invited to visit "to pancakes" and more time are worth fun, and not routine work.

Both in the past century, and in modern times the oil week brings warmth and joy to every house. Cozy evenings in a family circle, reconciliation after possible quarrels, pleasant meetings and merry feast - all this gives us an old good holiday.