Pancake week 2023

Maslenitsa is one of the most joyful and cheerful holidays in Our Country. It is celebrated on the Sunday before Lent, but the whole week before it is considered festive. Shrovetide week is often called the Cheese week – due to the fact that during this period you can not eat meat, but you can and should – cheeses and other dairy products.

When does Maslenitsa start and end in 2023

Pancake week in 2023 will begin on Monday, February 20, and will last until Sunday, February 26. On the 27th, believers begin to observe Great Lent.

Days of Pancake week: names and meanings

The Maslenitsa week itself is conditionally divided into two periods. Narrow Maslenitsa lasts from Monday to Wednesday, and Broad Maslenitsa from Thursday to Sunday.

The first three days of the week, it is customary to do chores and household chores, preparing to have fun in the rest of the time.

Each day of the Cheese Week has not only its own name, but also characteristic signs and rituals that are customary to observe. Let’s list the most famous traditions of Pancake week by day.

Day 1. Meeting

Our ancestors lived in large friendly families, the daughter-in-law, as a rule, moved to the house with her husband and his parents. On the first morning of Cheese Week, father-in-laws sent their sons’ wives to visit their parents, and in the evening they themselves visited relatives. The main thing here was not to offend the matchmakers and feed them properly.

Entertainment for the people in the squares began to be prepared during the Motley Week – the one that preceded Maslenitsa. But on Monday they were completed – they installed swings, formed ice slides, built snow fortresses. Everyone tried to be in time as soon as possible so as not to be distracted by this during the celebration.

The main custom of Maslenitsa Monday is baking the first pancake. They did not eat it, but gave it to the poor, so that they would remember the souls of deceased relatives.

Day 2

The memory of many traditional customs dedicated to the acquaintance of boys and girls has come down to us. Some days, such as, for example, Tuesday of Shrovetide week, were completely devoted to the bride. Young people gathered to talk and look at each other. This was done with a far-reaching goal. Ahead was Great Lent, during which weddings were forbidden, but after it, just on Red Hill, the young people who met during flirting could already get married.

Those who were not interested in the bride were invited relatives and friends to visit that day. The more abundant the table was, the more respect the host showed.

On Tuesday, for the first time, they began to invite Maslenitsa: “We have snowy mountains ready and pancakes baked – please favor!”

Day 3. Lakomka, or Skoromnaya Wednesday

In the middle of Maslenitsa week, the son-in-law went to visit his mother-in-law – for pancakes, of course. And not only him – his friends and relatives came to eat pancakes. The mother-in-law on this day was especially affectionate to her son-in-law, in every possible way demonstrated her disposition towards him. The guests watched and were thrilled – the guy and his relatives were lucky. Although the reason for this behavior of the mother was largely rational – it was believed that the kinder the mother-in-law was to her son-in-law on that day, the better her daughter’s relationship with the new family would be.

Day 4. Walk around, or Broad Thursday

From that day on, the Broad Maslenitsa began. All housework stopped, doing housework in the coming days was considered a bad omen. Therefore, the people left all their affairs and went to the square in order to have fun.

In Our Country, there were many traditional entertainments typical for Maslenitsa Thursday:

• fist fights;
• horse and cart rides;
• agility and endurance competitions;
• round dances;
• snowball games;
• assault and capture of a snow town;
• making fires and jumping over fires;
• songs, dances and, of course, eating pancakes.

It was not possible to sit at home that day. They believed that everyone who, for some reason, ignored the general fun, would be overtaken by sorrows and failures. Well, and the condemnation of the neighbors, of course.

Day 5. Mother-in-law evening

On Friday, the son-in-law was supposed to receive his mother-in-law with all honors. Pancakes for the arrival of the mother were baked by the daughter – the wife of the son-in-law. The mother-in-law brought her friends with her to show off to them what a good guy she married her daughter to.

Day 6

On Saturday, young daughters-in-law paid attention to their sisters-in-law – sisters and relatives of their husbands. Girls gathered to eat, chat and gossip. In addition to sister-in-laws, they invited both girlfriends and their relatives, moreover, if the husband’s sisters were married, then married women were invited, and vice versa. It was considered a good omen to give everyone who came to visit some small but pleasant gifts.

On Maslenitsa Saturday, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Council of All the Reverend Fathers – on this day they honor everyone who has earned a place among the saints by their monastic deed.

Day 7. Seeing off, or Forgiveness Sunday

The most important day of the entire Cheese week. On Sunday, a conspiracy was performed before Great Lent. Believers asked for forgiveness from each other, and in response they heard “God will forgive, and I forgive.” On this day, it was customary to commemorate the dead and visit cemeteries.

Forgiveness Sunday is the last day when animal products could be eaten. All the festive food that had been prepared during the week had to be eaten. The leftovers were either distributed to the poor or burned – it was considered bad luck to throw food away or let it go to waste.

During the day it was customary to go to the bathhouse, and in the evening to gather in the square – of course, to solemnly burn the effigy of Maslenitsa. By the way, the ashes that remained after burning should be scattered over the fields so that a good harvest will be obtained next year.

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