March 07, 2016

Let the Maslenitsa Begin!


Let the Maslenitsa Begin!

Many cultures have grand celebrations to mark the end of winter, the beginning of spring and the onset of the Lenten season. These events are one last big bash before the 40 days of penitence and fasting. Most familiar to Americans are Mardi Gras, Carnival and Fat Tuesday.

In Russia, this celebration is called Maslenitsa ("butter week") and it runs the entire week prior to Russian Orthodox Lent, the season which precedes Pascha (Easter).

During Maslenitsa, the Orthodox abstain from meat.

During Lent all meat, fish, poultry, eggs, products containing animal fat and dairy products are prohibited. Since Lent is a penitential season in the Church, parties and celebrations are also banned.

Essential to Maslenitsa are blini. They are meatless pancakes made of milk and eggs and eaten with sour cream. These are foods which are coincidentally allowed during Cheese Week on the Church calendar.

Blini
Ah, blini!

Maslenitsa, like many Christian holidays, has pagan roots; in this case, the celebration of the sun. Blini are round and golden, like the sun. While Christianity officially came to Russia in 988, Paganism existed in Russia as early as the second century AD.

Maslenitsa was first recorded as such in the 500s AD. The Church knew that it could not completely do away with the pagan holidays and thus would typically align Christian observances with them. Such is the case with Maslenitsa.

Maslenitsa was and is characterized by more than just the eating of mass quantities of blini, however. Each of the days of the celebration feature such things like masquerade parties, visiting friends, sleigh rides and any form of merriment. Often, specific activities were assigned to the days, such as a day to visit one's grandparents.

On the Friday of Maslenitsa, a brightly dressed straw puppet of Lady Maslenitsa would accompany the merry makers as a symbol of the hope of agricultural prosperity to come. Since Maslenitsa leads into Lent, Lady Maslenitsa was burned in a bonfire along with any remaining blini on Sunday evening as Lent began.

You Might Also Like

Orthodox-Catholic Summit
  • February 14, 2016

Orthodox-Catholic Summit

This week, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill met in Havana. Why was this such a big deal?
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955