Wide Shrovetide is a distinctive and pagan holiday that has been celebrated since ancient times throughout Russia.
Shrovetide is a distinctive Russian holiday that usually falls at the end of February - beginning of March. After a cold and dark winter, everyone is looking forward to a warm and sunny spring. Ancient ancestors believed that the spring needed help to come, for this, festivities were organized on Shrovetide. One of the symbols of Maslenitsa was the pagan god of fertility and the sun - Yarilo. Every spring this god was resurrected, gave people the sun and harvest, and by the end of autumn he was dying.
The name "Maslenitsa" itself has two variants of origin. According to the first version, it comes from the word "butter up". After all, the pagans tried to do everything possible to appease the spring and hasten its onset. According to the second version, this name is due to the fact that before the beginning of Great Lent it was forbidden to eat meat, but it was allowed to eat dairy products. The main dish during this period was pancakes, which were baked in butter, hence the name "Maslenitsa". By the way, pancake is also a symbol of the sun.
Shrovetide has always been celebrated for seven days, as the number "7" is magical. And the pagans believed in all the omens and superstitions. Also, this holiday falls on the week before Great Lent, and for believers it is a good opportunity to eat before the most severe test of the year. Pancake week is called "week", this week people forgave each other and were reconciled in every possible way. It was a kind of preparation for Great Lent.
Shrovetide has always been considered a very noisy and cheerful holiday. After all, winter for the common people was a real test, and the arrival of spring was marked by warmth and a good harvest. Therefore, traditionally, the Russian people lived a holiday all week - they ate, drank, went to visit, arranged fistfights and danced. Each member of the village took an active part in the celebration of Shrovetide, hence the name "Wide Shrovetide". After all, this is how the Russian people walked - widely and freely.
Maslenitsa has become a traditional Russian holiday, which is celebrated not only in villages, but also in large cities. Throughout the week, people bake pancakes and visit, rejoice in the imminent arrival of spring. It is customary to say goodbye to Shrovetide on Sunday. On this day, the most ambitious festivities are organized, which end with the burning of a straw effigy of Maslenitsa and the imminent arrival of spring.
