Signs for Maslenitsa

Shrovetide is a holiday of the Eastern Slavs, which lasts a week before Lent. It has come down to our days from time immemorial. Some of its traditions have been lost, some have been reinvented. But what is truly preserved are the Maslenitsa signs. There are many superstitions associated with the celebration – people from generation to generation passed on the knowledge of what can and cannot be done on Maslenitsa.

The history of folk signs for Maslenitsa

Folk omens for Maslenitsa arose in ancient times. The older the holiday became, the more coincidences people noticed. Moreover, signs often varied depending on the region. For example, the superstitions that were believed in the southern villages worked quite the opposite for those who lived in the central strip. We talked to the residents of several villages that keep the memory of folk wisdom, and now we are talking about the most common signs for Maslenitsa.

Notes by day of the week

Pancake week is one of the most important in culture. Every day is deeply symbolic. We tell you what signs accompanied the Cheese Week.

Monday – meeting, the beginning of the Narrow Maslenitsa. On the first day of Maslenitsa week, it is supposed to bake the first pancake, so that the whole week turns out to be rich in treats.

Tuesday – games. On this day, young people gathered together – the guys got acquainted with the girls and looked after their wife. It was believed that if you meet at Cheese Week, then you can already play a wedding by Krasnaya Gorka.

Wednesday – gourmet. The day when it is customary to go to the mother-in-law for pancakes. The friendlier the mother-in-law is to the son-in-law, the more pancakes he eats in her house, the happier the married life of the young will be.

Thursday – revelry, the beginning of the Broad Maslenitsa. Both old and young have fun as they can: they play snowballs, ride slides and swings, sing, dance and dance. It is believed that whose child will slide further down the hill or fly higher on a swing, those will have the largest harvest and prosperity. On this day, it is literally impossible not to have fun, otherwise you could get public condemnation and sorrows, which, according to signs, fell on the head of such a person.

Friday – mother-in-law evenings. It was the turn of the mother-in-law to visit her son-in-law. The rules are the same – the friendlier and more generous the son-in-law is, the better the life of a young family will be.

Saturday – sister-in-law gatherings. Here the son-in-law could exhale a little – it was his wife’s turn. The young daughter-in-law gathered relatives from her husband’s side (and her own too) and regaled them with all sorts of treats. The whole district used to gather at such gatherings – to see how the young mistress gets along with her relatives, what sets the table, and, of course, to treat herself. Unmarried relatives on this day came alone and performed Shrovetide divination for their betrothed. And the children, who were not interested in listening to the conversations of adults, went to have fun – Saturday was the last day before Great Lent, when they could ride the swings and slides to their hearts’ content and make round dances.

Sunday – wires. The people completed the festive festivities and began preparations for the strict Great Lent. It was on this day that the effigy of Maslenitsa was burned – in commemoration of the coming spring. Everyone flocked to the central square to watch the burning. There was an eerie superstition that if you didn’t look at a burning effigy at least from afar, you would soon die. The ashes of the stuffed animals were scattered over the fields – it was believed that if this was done, the year would be productive and fruitful.

“Pancake” signs

The protagonist of Maslenitsa is a golden ruddy pancake, reminiscent of the sun, which people yearned for during the long winter. By the number of baked pancakes and their shape, they judged their future.

• How many golden pancakes the hostess bakes – so many sunny days to expect next year. But here you need to know the measure, otherwise you can overdo it and incur heat and drought.
  
• The first pancake, baked on Monday of Pancake week, must be given to the poor – in remembrance of the souls of deceased relatives.
  
• If the hostess’s first pancake turned out to be baked and ruddy, the family will not know illnesses all year. And if on the contrary, then you have to deal with ailments.
  
• If the first pancake turned out to be thin and lacy, life will be easy and blessed next year. If it is thick and dense, you will have to work hard and for a long time.
  
• You can not cut pancakes with a knife – the use of sharp objects can bring trouble.

signs of the weather

Perhaps the most faithful omens are omens for the weather. They have been noticed for years and passed down from generation to generation. We talk about weather signs for Shrovetide.

• If the Sunday before Pancake Week turned out to be cloudy and rainy, be sure to go picking mushrooms in the spring, there will be a big harvest.
  
• If frost hit on the eve of Pancake week, the summer will be warm, but not hot.
  
• If the weather is bad on the last day of the Cheese Week, then all spring, on the contrary, it will be clear and warm.
  
• If you see a lot of icicles on the roofs on Maslenitsa, then the coming year will be fruitful and successful for new beginnings.

Signs for marriage

There were signs that were especially followed by girls of marriageable age:

• If a girl met a tipsy man at Maslenitsa, she will soon meet her betrothed.
  
• If the first pancake baked by a girl turned out to be even and golden, easily turned over in a frying pan, then this is a happy and soon marriage.
  
• If the pancake sticks to the pan, you will not see marriage in the next year.
  
• How many holes in the pancake turned out, so many children will be.
  
• Let the girl take out the baked pancake and give it to the first person she meets. Whatever his name will be, such a name will be for her betrothed.

Popular questions and answers