Maslenitsa
Around the same time that we are celebrating the Pancake Day in the UK by eating lots and lots of pancakes, in Russia we are celebrating the festival of Maslenitsa - the whole week of pancaking eating fun!
Maslenitsa is an Eastern Slavic religious and folk holiday. In Slavic mythology, Maslenitsa is a celebration of the imminent end of the winter. The most characteristic food of Maslenitsa is bliny (pancakes or crepes). During pagan times, the round and golden shape and color signified praise to the Sun because of pancakes' resemblance to it. Maslenitsa activities also include snowball fights, sledding, riding on swings and plenty of sleigh rides. The mascot of the celebration is usually a brightly dressed straw effigy of Maslenitsa. As the culmination of the celebration, on Sunday evening, Lady Maslenitsa is stripped of her finery and put to the flames of a bonfire, a ritual that is signifying the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
Happy spring everyone! :)
Wishing you lots of sun and blue skies,
Ksenia - Russian Students Ambassador
Maslenitsa is an Eastern Slavic religious and folk holiday. In Slavic mythology, Maslenitsa is a celebration of the imminent end of the winter. The most characteristic food of Maslenitsa is bliny (pancakes or crepes). During pagan times, the round and golden shape and color signified praise to the Sun because of pancakes' resemblance to it. Maslenitsa activities also include snowball fights, sledding, riding on swings and plenty of sleigh rides. The mascot of the celebration is usually a brightly dressed straw effigy of Maslenitsa. As the culmination of the celebration, on Sunday evening, Lady Maslenitsa is stripped of her finery and put to the flames of a bonfire, a ritual that is signifying the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
Happy spring everyone! :)
Wishing you lots of sun and blue skies,
Ksenia - Russian Students Ambassador
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