When is Maslenitsa in 2018, what date?

Maslenitsa is a Slavic holiday whose traditions go back to the distant past. Celebrations last a week, sometimes three days, leading up to Lent at the end of February. Every year, the start date of Maslenitsa changes depending on Easter; in 2018, Maslenitsa begins on February 12 and lasts until February 18 inclusive.

Traditions for Maslenitsa

In Slavic mythology, Maslenitsa symbolizes the border between winter and spring. The Saturday before the start of Maslenitsa is called “Parents' Day” and at this time it is customary to remember the deceased. The last day of Maslenitsa (Sunday) is called “Forgiveness Sunday.” On this day, it is customary to ask for forgiveness from family and friends.

Traditional symbols of the holiday are the Maslenitsa scarecrow, sleigh rides, folk festivals, and most importantly, pancakes. This dish also has a symbolic meaning, because it personifies the sun, which every day of Maslenitsa begins to shine more and more and warm the earth. It is customary to grease pancakes with butter, which also has a symbolic meaning and is associated with the name of the holiday. Lubricating pancakes with butter means buttering the sun, and this is a direct reference to the main name - Maslenitsa.
Traditional fun during Maslenitsa are folk festivities in squares with the obligatory baking of pancakes, burning of an effigy symbolizing the passing winter and sleigh rides. It is not uncommon to see jumping over a fire, which nowadays has more of an entertainment status, but during paganism it was a rite of cleansing from sins. Then it was believed that walking through fire helps to cleanse oneself of sins, and jumping over a fire contributed to this. The burning of the effigy always takes place on the last day of Maslenitsa in the late afternoon. Everyone gathered for the festivities watches this process and expects the arrival of spring soon, as well as a good harvest and a generally successful year.

history of the holiday

It is believed that the roots of the tradition of seeing off winter go back to paganism, when Yarila, the sun god, was glorified. In those days, it was customary to bake cakes as a symbol of the sun. With the advent of Orthodoxy and giving the tradition church status, pancakes came, and the timing changed. According to some reports, pagans celebrated Maslenitsa seven days before the spring equinox, as well as seven days after it.
Since it begins immediately after Maslenitsa, the holiday is also called Cheese Week. During it, it is not recommended to eat meat, but other foods prohibited during fasting can still be eaten. To some extent, Cheese Week is a preparation for Lent.

Maslenitsa week 2018

Currently, the celebration of Maslenitsa is not as widespread and noisy as before, and often if the holiday is held on a grand scale, then one day is allocated, where all those gathered take part in entertainment events, eat pancakes, then burn an effigy and jump over the fire.
However, in Rus' the holiday lasted a whole week and there were their own rules for Maslenitsa. The entire Maslenitsa week was divided into two main periods - narrow and wide Maslenitsa. Narrow Maslenitsa included the first three days - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Wide four remaining.

First day – meeting

On this day, it was customary to send the daughter-in-law to her parents in the morning. In the evening, the father-in-law and mother-in-law came to visit their future relatives. At these gatherings, the number of guests was discussed, as well as the location of the festivities. The guests ate pancakes, and it was customary to give the first to the poor. In addition, on this day, a scarecrow of Maslenitsa was built from old clothes and rags, which was impaled and left for the whole week.

Second day - flirting

On this day, as a rule, brides' viewings were held. A matchmaking ceremony was often held, after which the families went for a sleigh ride. Traditionally, it was customary to have weddings immediately after Lent, and in order to do this, during Maslenitsa all the details had to be discussed.

Third day - gourmet

Gourmand always fell on Wednesday, and on this day it was customary for the son-in-law to go to his mother-in-law for pancakes, which she prepared herself. In addition to the son-in-law, other guests could come. But on this day, the future husband could see the disposition of the bride’s parents towards him.

Day four - revelry

The middle of Maslenitsa, Thursday, is not called revelry for nothing. At this time, the wide Maslenitsa began. All economic and preparatory work stopped and festivities took place until the end of the week. On this day, various competitions were held - fist fights, horseback riding and sleigh rides, and the main and most riotous fun was the capture of the snowy town. The meaning of these actions was to throw out all the negative energy that had accumulated during the winter and autumn.

Friday - Mother-in-law's party

The mother-in-law went on a return visit to her son-in-law. It was customary to take friends with you. The pancakes were prepared by the son-in-law's wife, that is, the daughter. On Friday, the son-in-law had to demonstrate his good attitude towards his wife's mother.

Saturday – Sister-in-law’s gatherings

Saturday was considered women's day. The wife invited her husband's sister and her friends to visit. An important rule was to observe the tradition of gathering either only married or only unmarried girls. It depended on the status of the sister-in-law. According to tradition, the daughter-in-law had to give some gift to her sister-in-law.

Sunday - farewell

On Sunday, which also had the name “Forgiveness Sunday,” it was customary to ask for forgiveness from all loved ones. This day was the culmination of Maslenitsa. In the evening we went to the bathhouse, burned the holiday food and washed the dishes thoroughly. The Maslenitsa effigy was also burned, and the ashes were scattered across the fields. On this day it was customary to go to the cemetery to say goodbye to deceased relatives.

Maslenitsa, like most Orthodox holidays, has a rich history. It appeared even before the Baptism of Rus'. In those distant times, the celebration of Maslenitsa took place over two weeks. After the adoption of Christianity, this tradition changed a little. Now Maslenitsa is celebrated for one week, which precedes the beginning of Lent. During this holiday, farewell to winter and welcome to spring take place.

In 2018 Lent begins quite early - February 19th. That's why Maslenitsa will be celebrated on February 18. And herself Oil Week will take place from February 12 to 18. For seven whole days, Orthodox Christians should rejoice at this event and perform certain rituals. Each day of Oil Week has its own name and special traditions are associated with it.

Seven days of Maslenitsa

1. Meeting. On this day they begin to celebrate Maslenitsa. It is necessary to make a scarecrow for the subsequent burning ritual and fill it with a good ice slide. And also bake the first pancake, which must be given to a beggar, and thereby he will remember all the departed. On this day, usually a young couple living separately invites their mother-in-law and father-in-law to visit so that they can teach their daughter-in-law how to bake pancakes correctly.

2. Flirting. This day has always had a special meaning. All the main events began with him. Young people rushed to ride sleighs down the hill, folk festivals, various performances and concerts were organized. At the same time, girls and boys tried to choose their soul mate and confessed their love to each other.

3. Gourmand. On the third day of Holy Week, the mother-in-law invites her son-in-law to visit for pancakes. Other relatives and friends can also join this process. In the evening they organize chants, praising the mother-in-law's pancakes. On this day you need to eat as much as you want without restrictions. Otherwise, all holiday festivities continue.

4. Revelry. On this day they go to great lengths and stop working. Everyone goes to visit each other with their treats. Merry carnivals are also organized, the climax of which is demonstration fist fights. In the old days they were prepared especially carefully for the amusement of those around them. At the same time, it was forbidden to hit someone who was lying down, hit them on the back of the head and below the waist, and attack several people against one.

5. Mother-in-law's evening. On this day, the son-in-law invites the mother-in-law to visit him and treats her with pancakes and various sweets. If this does not happen, then the mother-in-law considers herself insulted and offended.

6. Sister-in-law's get-togethers. On this day, the wife is obliged to invite her husband’s relatives, especially his sisters, to visit. And they, in turn, give the young couple many different gifts.

7. Forgiveness day. On the seventh day, the most massive festivities take place, which end with the burning of a previously prepared effigy. During the celebrations, horse-drawn sleigh rides are organized. They also sing songs, have fun, and hold various competitions. At the same time, delicious pancakes are distributed free of charge. But you should remember that this day is called “Forgiveness Sunday” and be sure to ask for forgiveness from your loved ones, acquaintances and friends. On this day you need to visit the cemetery and also ask for forgiveness from the deceased.

Maslenitsa is known to everyone as the time to bake traditional pancakes. At this point, they are prepared from various types of flour: buckwheat, wheat, oatmeal, corn, and so on. The filling for pancakes is also varied: honey, cottage cheese, condensed milk, jam, jam.

A couple of recipes for the most delicious pancakes for Maslenitsa

1. Custard pancakes made from buckwheat flour

Mix two cups of flour and two cups of hot water in a container. Then mix everything thoroughly to remove lumps. Separately, dissolve the yeast in warm water and pour it into the resulting mixture. Next, the pancake starter is whipped and covered with a towel. After a certain time, when it doubles in volume, add the remaining flour, milk, sugar, salt, beat it again and put it in a warm place for 30 minutes. Then they simply bake delicious pancakes.

To prepare custard pancakes you will need:

5 cups buckwheat flour, 3 cups water, 2 cups milk, 20 g yeast, 1 tsp. sugar, salt to taste.

2. Lacy pancakes

Mix flour and powdered sugar in a large container. Make a hole in the center and break the eggs into it. Add a small amount of milk and mix. Continue adding milk until the dough resembles whipped cream. Next, beat the whole mixture thoroughly and add butter, which must first be melted. Pancakes are baked using one of the available methods.

To prepare lace pancakes you will need:

200 g wheat flour, 2 tbsp. l. powdered sugar, 5 eggs, 500 ml milk, 120 g melted butter.

In general, on Maslenitsa people prepare for one of the main events in the life of every Orthodox Christian - Lent. Not everyone can go through this forty-day period of life, observing the basic rules and restrictions in food intake.

Maslenitsa is a riotous folk holiday with pagan roots. With his arrival, we feast on pancakes, dance in circles, ride down the mountains, arrange numerous entertainments and burn a straw effigy. Which one is celebrated? What customs are associated with it? To find out about this, let's go back to the origins.

Origin of the holiday

Initially, Maslenitsa was tied to the day of the spring solstice. It was she who marked the beginning of a new agricultural year. Winter for peasants is a difficult, cold, dark time. Everyone was looking forward to the coming of spring.

When Maslenitsa begins, the sun god Yarilo is resurrected. His arrival was celebrated with songs and round dances. To help the young spring overcome the treacherous winter, they burned an effigy, staged all sorts of fights, and destroyed the snowy town. The games were noisy so that the dormant nature would wake up and come to life. Special rituals were carried out to ensure a rich harvest in the new year.

What date was Maslenitsa celebrated before the adoption of Christianity? Researchers say it was celebrated for two weeks: one before the spring equinox, and the second after the significant event.

Orthodox Maslenitsa

After the baptism of Rus', many were banned. However, Maslenitsa was of great importance for the people, and it was successfully integrated into Christian traditions. True, at the same time it was significantly reduced.

Now the holiday was celebrated a week before Lent. You can find out what date Maslenitsa is this year by looking at the Orthodox calendar. Usually its beginning falls on the period from February 3 to March 14. At this time, people have fun and eat up before the upcoming abstinence. Meat can no longer be eaten, which is why Maslenitsa is nicknamed “meat-free”. But there are a lot of pancakes and dairy products on the tables.

Orthodox Christians must prepare for Lent by making peace with their surroundings. It is customary to visit loved ones to ask for forgiveness for one’s misdeeds, to help those in need, and to do charity work.

Monday

Every day during Maslenitsa week has its own traditions. Monday was called "meeting". In the morning, a scarecrow was built from straw and old clothes, which was carried around the village on a sleigh. Children joyfully greeted Maslenitsa with cries and went from house to house begging for sweets. Swings and booths were set up in the square, and skiing began on the ice mountains. The further the sled rolls, the higher the swing flies, the better the harvest and the longer the flax. When Maslenitsa begins, everyone is obliged to have fun. Otherwise, luck and wealth will pass you by.

Wealthy families started making their first pancakes on Maslenitsa. The housewives had their own secrets. Some people put the dough in the snow, others kneaded it on the river under the light of the stars. Hot, round pancakes are a symbol of the sun. The more you eat, the faster the frost will recede. However, in Rus', pancakes have always remained a funeral food. It was customary to give the first portion to the dead. To do this, the pancake was hung on a dormer window or presented to a beggar, asking him to pray for his ancestors.

Tuesday

In the old days, this day was called “flirt”. Celebrations began, comic performances were shown in booths, and mummers appeared on the streets. But the main theme was love.

The Maslenitsa holiday is closely associated with the onset of spring and fertility. In pagan times, weddings were celebrated on it. The church forbade getting married on Maslenitsa, and the celebrations had to be postponed until Krasnaya Gorka. But new traditions have emerged.

To "flirt" the guys arranged viewings for the girls. Young people rode from the mountains, furtively looking at each other, and agreed on matchmaking. The sleigh was harnessed to fast horses. The young man could give a ride to any girl he liked, and she had to kiss him as a sign of gratitude. If the beauty refused, the guy’s friends “frozen” the sleigh and did not release the riders until the condition was met.

All newlyweds were obliged to ride horses and down a snowy mountain, accept congratulations, and then kiss in front of all the honest people.

Wednesday

It is impossible to imagine celebrating Maslenitsa without tents with pancakes and sweets. The more generous the table, the richer the harvest will be. Our ancestors ate especially heartily on Wednesday, which was also called “gourmet”.

On this day, the mother-in-law prepared the most delicious dishes and invited her sons-in-law to visit. Other relatives also gathered in the house. Beer was served at the table, pancakes were baked with various fillings: caviar, potatoes, mushrooms, cottage cheese, honey, nuts. Fun competitions were organized for the mother-in-law and son-in-law. If the daughter’s husband approved the treat, then the next year will pass in peace and harmony.

Women and girls of all ages gathered for "girls' conventions." They rode horses decorated with ribbons with songs, rode down slides and made fun of single guys. They were given punishments for not being able to find a suitable bride in the past year. Young people paid off with sweets and pancakes.

Thursday

People called this day “walk around”. It began with him when economic work was prohibited. All games and rituals were designed to help the sun overcome winter. For example, horses had to be ridden clockwise around the settlement, while imitating the movement of the sun in the sky. The model of the luminary was often a wheel, which was mounted on a pole or pole. Sometimes it was set on fire and rolled down the mountains. If the wheel did not fall, happiness awaited the person.

Any scenario of Maslenitsa on the street includes competitions: comic fights, climbing a pole to get gifts. Our ancestors always staged fist fights, including “wall to wall.” They took this fun very seriously; before it they washed in the bathhouse, ate heavily, and gained strength. They fought until the first blood was drawn, which symbolized a sacrifice to the spirits.

Carrying out Maslenitsa is unthinkable without taking a fortress built from compressed snow. Snowballs, brooms, and shovels were used as weapons. The winner was the one who broke through the gate first. He was “washed” in a snowdrift or forced to swim in an ice hole. The fortress was necessarily destroyed, which symbolized victory over the harsh winter.

There were booths in the cities, performances were shown, and mummers entertained the people. An obligatory participant in the fun was a bear - real or in disguise. He became a symbol of spring. After all, the awakening of bears after hibernation is a sure sign of future warmth.

Friday

Our ancestors called it “mother-in-law’s evenings.” If before this, sons-in-law were treated to pancakes on Maslenitsa, now they themselves had to act as hospitable hosts. The day before, you were supposed to personally come to your mother-in-law’s house and invite her for lunch or dinner. The wife's parents had to provide the newlyweds with everything necessary for making pancakes: flour, butter, frying pan, ladle, tub of dough.

Saturday

On Maslenitsa, respect is shown not only to the wife's relatives. The sixth day is called "sister-in-law's gatherings." The husband's sisters visit their young daughter-in-law. She must set the table with her own hands and receive them, demonstrating the skills of a good housewife. Each sister-in-law was supposed to be given a gift. To make the meeting more fun, the daughter-in-law invited her friends to it - unmarried or married. The latter depended on the status of the sisters-in-law themselves.

If a woman had several brothers, she would take turns visiting them. Also on this day, mass festivities continued: songs, round dances, slides, fun games.

Forgiveness Sunday

The riotous fun was coming to an end. The time had come to prepare for a strict fast. Before him, he had to cleanse himself spiritually, admitting his mistakes and asking for forgiveness from everyone he had inadvertently offended. We had to enter into a new life with a pure heart. Our ancestors also asked the dead for forgiveness by visiting the cemetery on this day.

The scenario of Maslenitsa on the street includes the burning of an effigy. They stocked up brushwood for the fire and threw various rubbish into it. Thus, they left everything unnecessary in the past and made room for the new. The scarecrow symbolized winter. The fire was intended to warm the earth and melt the snowdrifts. A ritual round dance was performed around him. The girls went into the forest, to the river bank, sang songs about spring, calling for it.

In some areas, people practiced jumping over fires. It was believed that fire would burn away everything bad and get rid of sins, diseases, and the evil eye. All fast food was also burned, so that with the onset of fasting they would not expose themselves to temptations. In some cases, adults only pretended to throw pancakes, milk, and butter into the fire. This is how they deceived the children so that they would not ask for tastier food.

When Maslenitsa ended, the ashes from the burned effigy were scattered across the fields. It was believed that it would provide a rich harvest.

Once you find out what date Maslenitsa is this year, try to spend it usefully. Communication with family, joint feasts, fun games will certainly bring you closer. Let spring enter your heart along with round dances and hot, fluffy pancakes.

The best folk and Orthodox holiday of the end of winter is Maslenitsa. In 2018, this holiday falls in mid-February due to early Easter.

Maslenitsa is a transitory holiday, that is, it does not have a clearly fixed date in the calendar. This is due to the fact that Maslenitsa week and Maslenitsa itself precede Lent before Easter. Accordingly, the answer to the question “what date is Maslenitsa in 2018” directly depends on the date of Easter Sunday.

In 2018, Maslenitsa falls on February 18, Sunday. Maslenitsa week will last from February 12 to 18.

You can calculate the start date of the Maslenitsa week yourself. All that is required for this is to subtract 56 days from the date of Easter: 48 days of Lent and the week of Maslenitsa itself. Maslenitsa week always begins on Monday and ends on Sunday. Lent 2018 will begin with the ringing of the evening bell on Sunday 18 February.

Traditions of Maslenitsa

Well, who is not familiar with the most famous tradition - burning an effigy of winter on Maslenitsa? It is this enchanting action that becomes the culmination of the holiday. But the effigy is burned only on Sunday, and the celebration begins seven days before.

Monday– Maslenitsa meeting. On this day, preparations for the holiday week ended, and gatherings began in the evening. In the morning, slides, swings, climbing posts, booths, skating rinks and other amusements were completed. By lunchtime, the housewives started the dough and began baking pancakes. According to tradition, the very first pancake had to be given to commemorate the dead. By the way, this is where the saying “the first pancake is lumpy” came from - lumpy, that is, lumpy, meant just a wake.

On Monday, residents of the settlement built Maslenitsa - a straw effigy symbolizing winter. The effigy was dressed in a woman's dress, a scarf was tied on its head and tied to a stake. The stake was installed in the center of the village so that everyone passing by could see the symbol of the holiday. In some regions, the stuffed animal was first transported in a sleigh throughout the village.

On this day, for the first time, all relatives gathered at one table. They treated themselves to the first pancakes, praised the mistress of the house and agreed on a week of festivities. The time of the festivities, the place, the order of actions, and even the order of visits was discussed.

Tuesday- flirting. Young people flirted with future brides. The guys invited the girls to go down the slides, and they responded with pancakes. The flirtation served as a kind of bridesmaid, which was supposed to lead to weddings after Lent.

Wednesday- gourmet. Day of “mother-in-law pancakes” - on this day the wife’s mother showed her affection to her son-in-law by inviting him to visit him for pancakes. And the richer the table, the more extensive the food, the more the mother-in-law favored her daughter’s husband. The first three days of Maslenitsa week were called Narrow Maslenitsa. During these days, they were still carrying out housework, but preparations for the holiday were in full swing.

Thursday- take a walk. The second name for Maslenitsa Thursday is revelry or broad Thursday. This day became the beginning of Broad Maslenitsa. All housework faded into the background, all preparatory actions for the festivities were completed, and the holiday itself began. Horseback riding and sledding downhill, round dances and songs, fist fights and many other ways to cheer yourself up.

But the main action, traditionally held on Thursday, was the capture of the snowy town. Moreover, not only children, but also adults took part in the fun - everyone wanted to throw out the energy that had accumulated during the cold winter.

Friday- Mother-in-law's evening. The day of the return visit - the mother-in-law came to the house of her daughter and son-in-law, where the latter had to independently treat the mother-in-law with pancakes. As a rule, a woman came not alone, but with “comrades” - friends, to brag about her son-in-law and the respect he showed her.

Saturday- sister-in-law meetings. The second name is sister-in-law gatherings. On this day, the young wife invited her husband's relatives to pancakes. In addition to the treats, the daughter-in-law gave her relatives small gifts - ribbons, beads, toys.

Sunday- farewell to winter. The culmination of the holiday, its highest point and at the same time completion. On this day, the festivities acquired a special scope, and at the end, all the village residents burned an effigy of Maslenitsa. The symbol of winter, burning, took away with it the cold and all the troubles that had accumulated over the months of cold.

Perhaps the most joyful folk holiday is Maslenitsa. Young and old are waiting for it, because in the week during which Maslenitsa is celebrated, they are allowed to eat everything, have fun and walk as much as their heart desires. This material will help you understand the intricacies of the celebration of Maslenitsa, you will find out what traditions and rituals exist to this day, as well as what date Maslenitsa will occur in 2018.

When does Maslenitsa start in 2018: date

Maslenitsa is transitory, that is, it does not have a fixed start and end date. The first and last day of Maslenitsa is calculated relative to the Easter holiday, or rather 56 days before its onset. Thus, in 2018, Maslenitsa will last from February 12 to 18 respectively.

Pagan holiday traditions

For our ancestors there was also a holiday that they expected at the end of the winter season. It was dedicated to the change of seasons and the return of nature to the warm spring period. The Slavs celebrated this day cheerfully and noisily: they organized folk festivals, cooked, rode sleighs, and made a scarecrow - Maslenitsa, which was then burned. Most Slavic traditions migrated to the Orthodox world, which is why so many rituals that are still performed during Maslenitsa week coincide with those performed by our ancestors during this period.

Rituals for Maslenitsa

On one of the Maslenitsa days, all the villagers gathered to make a female and male stuffed animal, personifying the deities. It was understood that in this way the spirits acquired an almost bodily form, therefore it was easier to influence them for the sake of a good harvest (and this is what most rituals were aimed at). The scarecrows were installed on the highest hill, from where they were visible to all people living in the village. IN last day of Maslenitsa, the effigies were burned, and the ashes were scattered over the fields, wanting to fertilize the soil (symbolically, of course) and call for the beginning of the spring season.

Nowadays, it is customary to make only a stuffed woman, which began to bear the same name with the holiday - Maslenitsa.

The main symbol of Maslenitsa 2018 is pancakes

We all know that Pancakes are always baked during Maslenitsa week. Many recipes for this action were invented, which is why people of all ages fell in love with this custom and have not renounced it for several hundred years.

Many people believe that pancakes are shaped like the sun, which is why they began to bake them for this joyful and cheerful holiday. However, some historians adhere to another theory: in their opinion, pancakes were a funeral dish among the ancient Slavs. It was believed that the surest way to influence the productivity of land was to seek help from those who are directly underground, that is, from deceased ancestors. On Maslenitsa we always went to the cemetery and left several pancakes on the grave of a deceased relative.

Also see: detailed description of the year.