Orthodox Shrove-tide at the Taltsy museum of wooden architecture

On the event of Lent, Russians celebrate Shrove-tide, a weeklong festival with a lot of merry-making and plenty of food.

 

The Russian world for Shrove-tide, “ maslenitsa” , stems from “ maslo” which means butter . It is an ancient holiday and it came into being in pre-Christian times. The holiday signifies a joyful good-bye to a boring cold winter and expectation of spring. Probably, round pancakes, the main ritual dish, symbolized the spring Sun getting brighter and warmer with each passing day.

 

People made pancakes throughout the whole week, ate them heartily, and treated their guests to them. Shrove-tide is not only a richly laid table with pancakes and tea, but it is also a merry amusement. You'll be participate in amusements such as horse-sleds on Russian Troika, folk show with Russian games, some merry competitions, bonfires, horse-rides, tobogganing (from 100 m high) on a horse skin which is a lot of fun even for adults.

 

The main event of this festival is burning of “Maslenitsa” – the huge colorfully dressed woman-doll with hey inside. When doll is burned means winter's gone and people meet sunny spring with singing songs….