Shrovetide is a fun and beloved holiday by many, which is invariably associated with pancakes and other hearty treats. The date of this celebration is always floating, it changes every year. When will Shrovetide and what are the features of each day of Shrovetide week?
The beginning and end of Shrovetide differ in dates from year to year. This is because this holiday depends on the lunar phases and when it will be Easter. The celebration itself, when a scarecrow is burned and, as it were, seeing off the winter, always falls on the last day of the week, which is also Forgiven Sunday. However, the Shrovetide festivities last seven days.
You can independently calculate the date when the Maslenitsa will be. For this, 56 is subtracted from the day on which Easter falls in the current year. This number includes the duration of Lent and the Maslenitsa week itself. When is Maslenitsa in 2019? According to calculations, the beginning of the celebration falls on March 4, but the final - the culmination - falls, respectively, on March 10.
Shrovetide days: features of the celebration
Shrovetide is not the only, albeit the most popular, name of the holiday, which in the old days was an exclusively pagan celebration. Pancake Week is also called Cheese Week, when traditionally it is necessary to actively consume large quantities of butter, a variety of dairy products and all kinds of cheeses. Also called the Meat Week holiday. This name appeared for the reason that it was forbidden to eat meat dishes for seven days.
Despite the fact that the culmination of the holiday always falls on Sunday, and Maslenitsa in 2019 is not, of course, an exception, the rest of the fun and satisfying days have always been celebrated on a grand scale. This is the time for delicious and plentiful food before Lent, the time for festivities, meetings with friends and relatives.
A week of Maslenitsa celebrations and festivities
Monday - Meeting. Maslenitsa begins this year from March 4th, on this day you need to bake the first slide of pancakes and arrange a festive dinner. The Shrovetide meeting is associated with the ritual of presenting: on Monday you must definitely feed - present pancakes and other treats - to everyone in need. On the same day, it is necessary to make a Shrovetide effigy, which will stand, waiting for the burning, for the next seven days.
Tuesday - Play. It was believed that on this day you can meet your soul mate, find true love. In the old days, it was on the second day of Shrovetide week that girls and boys organized noisy festivities. Directly at such festivities, one could meet an interesting person, confess his love, ask for the hand and heart of his chosen one. This day was also dedicated to newlyweds.
Wednesday - Gourmet. Surely such a phrase as "go to the mother-in-law for pancakes" is familiar to many. It appeared just in the context of the Shrovetide environment. On this third day, you need to visit friends and relatives, prepare as many delicious treats as possible and eat literally to the bone.
Thursday - Take a walk. When Maslenitsa comes in 2019, you cannot spend Thursday in boredom and loneliness. On this day, according to tradition, you need to go for a walk, have fun and have fun, combining all this with eating pancakes with various fillings.
Friday - Mother-in-law's evening. On this day, the mother-in-law goes to visit relatives, bringing various treats with her. On Friday it is better to stay at home, settle in a warm family circle.
Saturday - Sisters-in-law's gatherings. This day of Maslenitsa is again very closely connected with relatives. On Saturday, daughters-in-law and sisters of husbands or unmarried girlfriends met. Such an evening should be held with an abundance of all kinds of traditional dishes and pleasant conversations in an informal atmosphere.
Sunday - Farewell. On Sunday - March 10, 2019 - Forgiveness Sunday falls and the date when the Maslenitsa effigy is burned. Sunday rounds off a hearty pancake week.
