When is Maslenitsa in 2017, how to celebrate this holiday - this and much more.
Maslenitsa in 2017: what date?
These days, Russians celebrate one of the people's most beloved and riotous holidays - Maslenitsa. Celebrations on the occasion of this holiday last for a whole week.
Maslenitsa in 2017 starts on February 20 and ends on the 26th, and on February 27, Orthodox believers enter Lent.
On Maslenitsa it is customary to organize mass celebrations, go to visit, have fun and, of course, not deny yourself gastronomic pleasures and, of course, bake the main intkbbach symbols of the holiday - pancakes.
The celebration of Maslenitsa in 2017 coincides with a long weekend for Russians on the occasion of February 23, so many regional authorities are planning to celebrate their beloved folk holidays on a grand scale.
Maslenitsa 2017: what you can and cannot do
You should never be sad on Maslenitsa. It is believed that if you spend the holiday properly, tasty and satisfying, then the whole next year will be just as rich and fruitful. In addition, after Maslenitsa, as mentioned above, Great Lent begins, so before long spiritual and physical abstinence, believers hurried to eat properly and get some exercise.
Pancakes are baked throughout Maslenitsa week. It is also customary to visit each other and treat each other with delicious delicacies. People organize parties and have fun until they drop. During this week, it is not forbidden to make some noise in the company of dear people, spend time in city squares, eat pancakes and drink hot tea.
Maslenitsa 2017: pancakes - recipe
We bring to your attention a simple recipe for pancakes for Maslenitsa. Even the most inexperienced cook can make this dish. So, pancakes are prepared from a glass of flour, two eggs, a glass of milk, a pinch of salt, two tablespoons of sugar, as well as a pinch of salt and two tablespoons of vegetable oil. All ingredients are mixed until a homogeneous mass, reminiscent of kefir in consistency, and then the resulting dough is fried in portions in a preheated, pre-oiled frying pan.
Spring is coming, and people are already asking a question that interests them: when will Maslenitsa be in Russia in 2017: what date? The question is reasonable, because every year the date changes due to the postponement of the date of Easter. The dates of Forgiveness Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Trinity and so on also change.
Maslenitsa in 2017 falls on February 20, lasts seven days and ends on February 26. What kind of holiday is this, where did it come from, how is it celebrated? In pagan Rus', Maslenitsa symbolizes the end of winter and the arrival of spring; according to Christian canons, it precedes Lent.
History of Maslenitsa
In ancient times, this holiday lasted two weeks - people visited guests, sang, danced in circles, burned a straw effigy, and jumped over a fire. The pagan Slavs worshiped the Sun God and baked round pancakes, symbolizing the warm spring sun.
With the advent of Christianity, the holiday was reduced to one week; bloody battles, which often led to death, also disappeared; this holiday was often turned into excessive eating and drinking. The Christian Church began to slowly fight this, but before Lent no one forbade having fun, baking pancakes, visiting each other - the main thing is that everything should be in moderation, without excesses. The holiday should be clean, beautiful and bring joy to people.
This week, people excluded meat dishes from their diet, as if preparing themselves and their bodies for Lent. It was allowed to eat dairy products. It was matchmaking week, brides and grooms walked the streets in the most beautiful clothes and seemed to present themselves for show. Married women demonstrated their skills in preparing gourmet dishes, and mainly in preparing pancakes.
Look at Maslenitsa.
Of course, in our time, Maslenitsa is no longer celebrated on such a grand scale as in those days when there was no Internet, mobile phones, when people communicated more and happily celebrated all the holidays that gave them a reason to take a break from hard work and have plenty of fun. Yes, it would probably be a little strange for us to see bonfires and straw effigies on the streets, among the turmoil of moving cars and people. But, despite this, in many villages of our country, people gather in entire yards, light fires, dance in circles, have fun and rejoice at the coming of spring. Luxurious tables are set with various dishes, but the main character remains the Pancake week pancakes, with different fillings, tasty, rosy, aromatic. They were served in a large assortment - with caviar, fried mushrooms, jam and butter, sour cream and honey.
Pancakes with milk for Maslenitsa
Products:
2 cups of flour
2 eggs
2 glasses of milk
A pinch of salt
1 spoon of sugar
A piece of butter or lard
50 ml vegetable oil
To make beautiful and soft pancakes, they need to be made correctly. It is necessary to sift the flour (required, for fluffiness), pour it in a heap into a bowl, and make a hole in it. Beat the eggs separately and pour into the flour, then pour in the milk, and not all of it, but only half the portion, add sugar and salt. Now you need to mix gently with a whisk until smooth. Then add the butter in small portions, continuing to stir, and the rest of the milk. And don’t rush to fry right away, the dough should rest for at least half an hour, and then you can start frying our delicious pancakes.
Look also: recipe with step-by-step photographs.
Little secrets:
- Why pour milk in portions? So that you can control the thickness or liquid of the dough.
- The ideal dough for pancakes can be compared to liquid sour cream.
- A regular mixer is very helpful in making the dough without lumps - set it to medium speed, add ingredients little by little and you will get a beautiful homogeneous mass for baking pancakes.
In addition to pancakes, all kinds of baked goods were baked on Maslenitsa. On Thursday they baked cookies with bird figures, which was a symbol of the arrival of birds, which means the arrival of the long-awaited spring.
In addition to fun and games, the main attribute of the Oil Week was food. People tried to eat enough before the long Lent, which would last until Easter.
In those days, people did not prepare a variety of dishes for every day, as we do today, and practically did not feel the arrival of the holidays. Therefore, they set tables rich in food, did not deny themselves anything, treated guests and went to visit. It was believed that during Maslenitsa, every owner should set the table as brightly as possible, with a variety of dishes. This week, as well as Easter, people saved money to go on a proper spree, have fun, and make it memorable for a long time. And whoever is greedy for such a thing with money and food, who will not treat guests properly, will face failure all year long.
Traditions of Maslenitsa week
First day: Meeting
From the very first day, housewives began preparing pancakes, baking them a lot, as it was believed then that the more pancakes, the more fertile the land and the richer the harvest. On this day, slides and carousels were built and the whole village made a scarecrow.
Take a look, there are many options.
Second day: Flirting
The young people had fun - they went down the hills on sleds, organized all kinds of competitions, the girls dressed in the most beautiful outfits, it was a real show of unmarried girls.
Third day: Gourmets
A married daughter, together with her husband, came to visit her parents. Hence the saying: “To your mother-in-law for pancakes.” There were many delicacies on the table, but the main character was still pancakes. You had to eat as many of them as you wanted.
Day four: Take a walk
On this day, Maslenitsa became a real holiday, people stopped working and gave themselves up completely to fun. There were fist fights, sledding, climbing on high poles, and even competitions were organized to see who could eat the most pancakes.
Friday, fifth day: Mother-in-law's party
The day when it was the son-in-law’s turn to receive his wife’s mother, and, of course, all the relatives. In many regions of Russia, according to tradition, the mother-in-law sent everything needed to prepare pancakes to her son-in-law’s house. The son-in-law had no right to refuse, as he could greatly offend his wife’s parents.
Saturday, sixth day: Sister-in-law's gatherings
The husband's sisters (sisters-in-law) and the daughter-in-law's friends came to the young daughter-in-law's house. After the end of the evening, it was necessary to give an expensive gift to my sister-in-law. Oh, it was a bit difficult for those who had a lot of them. And we just went to visit, sit in good company and eat delicious food.
Sunday, seventh day of the holiday: Forgiveness Sunday, farewell to Maslenitsa. It is customary to ask for forgiveness from the Lord, from all friends and relatives. When asked for forgiveness, they answered: “God will forgive, and I forgive.”
On this day, a scarecrow Maslenitsa was burned. After the effigy was burned, the ashes were scattered across the field, as if trying to awaken the sleeping earth.
Great Lent began.
for harvest week - tasty and simple, with step-by-step photographs.
Signs of Maslenitsa
- If it was cold and frosty during Maslenitsa week, spring will come soon; if it is warm, winter will reign for a long time, and spring will be late.
- The first pancake was always given to poor people. Some left it for the departed souls, taking the pancake outside.
On Monday, when Oil Week ended, we went to the bathhouse. - On Saturday they took pancakes to the graves and bowed to the deceased.
- On Sunday it was necessary to fall asleep before midnight in order to easily wake up in the morning all year long.
- In the evening, nothing was removed from the table so that there would be peace, tranquility and abundance in the house all year round.
We told you when Maslenitsa comes in Russia in 2017, how to celebrate it correctly, what to cook, and you decide for yourself whether our advice was useful to you. Happy holidays and cheerful mood!
The holiday itself, Maslenitsa, came to people from pagan times and before our ancestors called it Cheese Week or Week, but still we are more familiar with the name of the holiday as Maslenitsa. Maslenitsa is celebrated at the end of winter and as the eve of the long-awaited warmth and spring - in Rus' Maslenitsa is celebrated a week before the start of Lent and 7 weeks before Orthodox Easter. In 2019, Maslenitsa will be celebrated during from 4 to 10 March.
history of the holiday
Our ancestors believed that it was precisely such pancake feasts that would help spring awaken faster from winter hibernation and come with warmth to people, and help the body to rebuild harmoniously and tune into an active mood. The Orthodox Church did not eradicate the holiday itself, which is rooted in deep paganism, so as not to enter into conflicts with folk traditions and due to which the celebration lasts for a whole week and does not contradict the traditions of Christianity and Lent.
Our ancestors compared spring renewal with new life and the Sun - giving warmth, light and new happiness. It was in honor of the heavenly body that pancakes were baked, like its reflection - round, warm and yellow, and everyone who ate them received a piece of strength and warmth from this planet.
Basic rules for celebrating Maslenitsa
The holiday itself in its celebration provides for the observance of some rules adopted by our ancestors. At the very beginning, it is worth remembering that our ancestors did not eat meat dishes throughout the week - only dairy products and fish.
The second rule was that you can eat as much as you want without limiting yourself. Food is a symbol of life and longevity and therefore there were no restrictions during this period. During the holiday, it was customary to invite guests and go there for pancakes and other goodies.
And the third rule for Maslenitsa is precisely the festivities themselves - cheerful and lively, when everyone, from old to old, takes an active part in it. Nowadays, all kinds of celebrations and concerts, competitions and round dances are organized in cities and villages, and in this regard you definitely won’t be bored.
Rituals and traditions of the festival
Many rituals and traditions on this holiday have their own, special connotations and are very diverse, and therefore it is worth considering some of the ancient customs of our ancestors in order to know their sacred meaning. The most interesting thing in this regard is the custom of consuming dairy dishes - cottage cheese, milk, whey, and so on. This custom has a purely material connotation: during this period, the cows are still calving and begin to calve at the end of March, and the meat reserves are already running out, and because of this, no one thought about slaughtering the cattle out of economic interest. For this reason, people switched to flour and dairy dishes.
During Maslenitsa week, our ancestors celebrated matchmaking and engagements, praising both maiden beauty and youth, as well as mature and wise motherhood, and the experience of elderly grandmothers. In addition to this, the pancakes that are baked on Maslenitsa also carry another subtext - they also had a funeral meaning, acting not only as a symbol of spring and the Sun. So the first pancake and other gifts were given to the poor, as a memorial to deceased ancestors - they believed that its round oval was a symbol of eternity, warmth was earthly grace, and the fact that it was baked from flour, milk and eggs was a hint of a well-fed and happy life.
The main tradition of the festival is the construction of a scarecrow of Maslenitsa - it was made of straw, dressed and shod in clothes. So on the first day such a straw effigy was rolled on a sleigh through the streets, and on the very last day it was burned at the stake and thereby symbolized the victory of spring over winter. No less interesting was the holding of fist fights - so to speak, village against village, held in a field or in a square and were rather comic manifestations of strength, a kind of fun. Before these battles, they were obliged to take a steam bath, they were allowed to eat meat and bread, despite the fact that this was prohibited - this gave them strength and courage.
On Sunday, the last day of the festival, Christians attended church and asked each other for forgiveness, hoping for a new beginning, without offense or anger, and in the evening they burned a straw effigy on the fire. While the scarecrow was burning, a round dance was performed around it - so everyone who created a closed chain received from the fire their own piece of warmth, energy, and a certain protection from the flames.
Holiday week and the meaning of each day
So Monday called Meeting, when from the very morning the father-in-law and mother-in-law collected the daughter-in-law and sent her off to her parents, and in the evening they themselves paid a visit to the matchmakers. Before this day, swings and slides, barricades for celebrations had already been installed in the squares, and housewives baked pancakes, always leaving the first one for the poor - it was a funeral pancake and was baked and given to the poor as a funeral one. Also on this day, a straw effigy was installed in the central square.
Tuesday - Flirting, when it was on this day that young people of both sexes organized joint sleigh rides, slides and other fun and entertainment. It was on Tuesday that mass viewings of future brides and engagements were organized - this was a kind of preliminary preparation for the future wedding after Easter.
Wednesday - Lakomka When the guests were treated with special attention, a rich table was set. In particular, it was on this day that we went to our mother-in-law for pancakes, also taking some goodies with us.
Thursday – Walk Wide. All the days of Holy Week until Thursday were not as significant in their meaning as this one - it was during this period that they did not work and completely rested from all activities, having fun and rejoicing. People organized competitions and danced in circles, conquered a tall pillar with prizes hanging on its top, and so on.
Friday counts Mother-in-law's evenings, when many rites and rituals are aimed at speeding up the future marriage between the young. On this day, it was the mothers-in-law who went to their son-in-law for pancakes. So before this, the mother-in-law handed over to her son-in-law everything that was needed to prepare the main dish of the holiday - pancakes, in particular, a frying pan and a ladle, and the father-in-law - butter, milk and flour. If the son-in-law does not accept such an “invitation” and does not treat his mother-in-law to pancakes on Friday, he will greatly upset his future relatives.
Saturday was considered a day Sister-in-law's get-togethers. It is on Saturday that daughters-in-law are obliged to invite their sisters-in-law to get-togethers, i.e. husband's sister and without fail give her something. In addition, it was customary to invite other guests to the house, treating them to goodies and pancakes. Even on this day, a very interesting ritual was carried out - the kissing ceremony. The future newlyweds climbed the highest mountain, bowed to their families, kissed and slid down together, where they also continued to kiss to the cheers of the crowd.
Sunday was considered forgiven and this is where the oil week ends. The ancestors called Sunday itself a farewell - it ended the cycle of feasts and festivities, when people lit fires, melting the ice and driving away the winter. They burned stuffed animals at these bonfires, and also asked for forgiveness from God and their family and friends.
Secrets of making pancakes
Agree, after all the festivities and slides, cheerful round dances and fist fights, the appetite is sure to flare up and here you can’t do without laid tables and, of course, pancakes, which were served both drizzled with butter and with all kinds of fillings.
The flour itself for future pancakes should be sifted before cooking - this way the dough will be softer and without lumps. Eggs should be taken exclusively fresh, beaten just before adding to the dough; sugar and salt should not be added directly to the dough, but must first be dissolved in water or milk and only then added to the flour.
When preparing the dough, you should follow a certain sequence - first of all, mix the liquid ingredients together, and only then add the mixture into the flour in a thin stream, while constantly stirring the future pancake batter. Oil is added to the dough at the very last stage - otherwise the dough will turn out dense and too heavy. You should also be careful about the amount of sugar in future pancakes - if there is not enough of it, the dough will be sour, and if there is too much, then the pancakes themselves may burn.
Use a thick-bottomed pan for baking pancakes and fry them over medium heat for about 30 seconds. from each side. Use a wooden spatula to turn the pancakes over only when the first bubbles appear and the edges turn brownish.
The ancient sunny holiday Maslenitsa is very popular among the people in our time - this folk holiday is celebrated cheerfully and on a grand scale, just like 200 and 500 years ago. In order to find out what date Maslenitsa is, you need to look at the church calendar: Maslenitsa is now celebrated a week before Lent. Although the ancient Slavs celebrated Maslenitsa in early February, and the name of this holiday was Komoeditsa. But the ancient meaning of this folk ritual remains to this day. And today I celebrate Maslenitsa or the invocation of Spring also widely and cheerfully: tables with pancakes and samovars are set up on the streets, and funny joke performances are organized. The Maslenitsa holiday can be observed and celebrated for a whole week. Maslenitsa is an ancient Slavic holiday dedicated to the Sun, the welcoming of spring and the birth of new life. Maslenitsa and its date now change every year. Maslenitsa 2017 and its date are tied to Lent, which begins immediately after Maslenitsa week. Maslenitsa 2017 begins on Monday 20 February. Maslenitsa and its date fall this year at the end of February: the last day of Maslenitsa is February 26.
Maslenitsa has always been the most cheerful holiday, where all the people walked widely. It was believed that his luck and prosperity throughout the year depended on how cheerfully a person lived during the Maslenitsa week.
Unmarried girls were looking forward to Maslenitsa week - at this time they could cast pancakes on the love of their chosen one, as well as tell fortunes on pancakes.
The love spell that the girl made on Maslenitsa was considered very effective and powerful in love magic. In addition, during Maslenitsa anyone can change their destiny for the better or look into the future.
On the first day of Maslenitsa you need to ask the Sun to fulfill your wish.
To do this, you need to get up at sunrise, wash with cold water, prepared in the evening, which stood under the moon in an open vessel. Then you need to look at the sun and cast a spell to make your wish come true:
“As the red sun rises early in the morning,
Illuminated with a clear light all honest people,
So my house will be filled with joy,
And my wish (to say) will come true. Amen!"
After this, you need to bow to the sun three times, the lower the better.
Sunday of Maslenitsa week is favorable for performing rituals for wealth and increasing income. To do this, early in the morning, before the very beginning of the holiday, on Sunday, go out to the square where Maslenitsa was celebrated and look for a coin. If you find it, then you need to put the coin in your right pocket with the words: “Just as a butter coin in (your name)’s pocket feels good and warm, so other money will feel good in (your name). How many snowflakes fall on Maslenitsa, that’s how much money (your name) will have all year. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".
The tradition of celebrating Maslenitsa dates back to the ancient times of paganism, when our ancestors associated the beginning of the new year with the agricultural calendar and joyfully greeted the long-awaited days of spring. This holiday is inextricably linked with the tradition of baking pancakes, which, due to their color and shape, are identified by people with the gentle sun. Maslenitsa rituals are designed to drive away the winter cold, invite spring, awaken nature from hibernation and return the warmth of the sun to people. The second component of the holiday is the remembrance of ancestors who can intercede for the fate of the living in the world of the dead, giving them protection from evil forces and illnesses. That is why the housewife must give the first of the baked pancakes to the poor - with a request to pray for the departed.
Features of the holiday
According to church requirements, it is not recommended to eat meat dishes on the days of celebration. The table may include fish-based food, dairy dishes and, of course, pancakes with a variety of fillings - cottage cheese, berries and mushrooms are allowed. On Maslenitsa, it has long been customary to organize folk festivals with competitions, sleigh rides, round dances and songs. At fairs, booths with performances are set up, carnival processions are organized, and folk artisans sell their goods.
Each day of Maslenitsa week has its own name, which defines its traditions and rituals.
- Monday- “Meetings.” On this day, married women went to visit their parents, and in the evening their father-in-law and mother-in-law joined them. On the same day, the whole village made a stuffed animal of winter, which they dressed up in old clothes and carried through the streets.
- Tuesday- “Flirting.” This day, on which brides were traditionally looked at, wooed and became acquainted with future relatives, is called “Zigryshi”.
- Wednesday- “Gourmand.” It is on Wednesday that the son-in-law must go to his mother-in-law for pancakes.
- Thursday- “Revelry.” The most fun day of Maslenitsa, which bears this name for a reason - it was on Thursday that Wide Maslenitsa began, folk festivities began and any work stopped.
- Friday- the day when the son-in-law had to show hospitality and invite his mother-in-law for pancakes.
- Saturday- “Sister-in-law’s gatherings.” For married women, on this day it was time to invite their sisters-in-law and husband's relatives to visit.
- Sunday- “Seeing off.” The culmination of the celebration came on Sunday, which is also called “Forgiveness Sunday.” The obligatory traditions of this day are the custom of asking for forgiveness for possible grievances, commemorating the dead and the ceremonial burning of an effigy of winter. The ashes left over from the ritual fire were scattered in the fields, calling for a fruitful year.
Traditions and rituals of Maslenitsa celebration are associated with the arrival of spring This holiday does not have a clear date that changes from year to year - Maslenitsa is celebrated seven days before the start of Lent, that is, 7 weeks before the onset of Lent. In 2017, Maslenitsa celebrations will take place from February 20 to 26.