Maslenitsa!

To future Moscovites from NIU – here's a little something to know about Maslenitsa (or the Butter Festival) before you arrive in the Motherland!

The first week you arrive, you will see the evidence of this festival all around! There’s an area on the way to school that has treats to buy and costumed characters everywhere; there’s shops right outside school selling honey and all sorts of knickknacks. The most important area to check out for the Butter Festival is definitely Red Square. My classmates and I stumbled upon it quite haphazardly, but we’re so lucky we did! I think my favorite part was the way the Christmas trees were decorated—orange, yellow, and red ribbons, smiling suns, and big pretzels hanging from the limbs.

Now, since we stumbled upon Maslenitsa in our jet lagged state, we didn’t really understand what it was—or that it would only be there for one week. So be forewarned, enjoy the blinis (pancakes) while they are there! And take plenty of pictures with the gorgeous decorations everywhere. It certainly makes the snowy, harsh winter a little bit warmer, a lot brighter, and very welcoming.

Maslenitsa is most likely the oldest Slavic holiday that is celebrated still; it happens during the second week of February. It began as a Sun-Festival, celebrating the God, Volos, and welcoming the end of winter (or begging for it to end soon—winter lasts a LOT longer here). Once Russia’s official religion was changed to Orthodox Christianity, the holiday changed as well. It lands on the last week before Lent, which at the time meant that it was the last week the people could enjoy eggs, milk, and cheese. Maslenitsa was their way to go all out while they could, and people celebrate with crepes, fancy cheese, and lots and lots of pancakes. It was also their last week to party and dance before Lent season brought upon them a more thoughtful and prayerful time.

The festival now includes all the religions and pagan traditions all in one. We saw several performances in the streets with performers calling for the end of winter (one such performance was done on stilts on icy Arbat Street—which was terrifying to watch!!). People gave us free candy, we enjoyed the wonderful blinis and hot chocolate from the street vendors, and we celebrated Maslenitsa as a sort of welcoming into the traditions of beautiful Russia. 

So for anyone ready to take part of this program next Spring—eat a blini or two for me and celebrate the warmth of Maslenitsa! Though this holiday celebrates the end of Winter and the coming of Spring, it’s been several weeks since and it snowed today. We’re still calling for Winter to leave and Spring to join us here in icy Russia!