Let the Good Times Roll

It was very interesting last week in Ukraine.

For the practicing Christian (including Catholics, Lutherans and Methodists) in America, last week saw the start of Lent. The Lenten season starts with Ash Wednesday. This is a odd religious holiday where ashes are placed in the sign of a cross on the foreheads of the observers. The ashes come from the burned palms that are used on Palm Sunday. For the uninformed this can be an unusual day because you see people walking around with what you think is common soot on their foreheads. The date of Ash Wednesday can change from year to year because it is based on when Easter is celebrated. Most people think of Lent as being from Ash Wednesday until Easter but it is actually really up to Holy Thursday (the day of the Last Supper). The days before and including Easter are part of their own mini-season rather than a component of Lent.

Mardi Gras, which is French for Fat Tuesday, is also celebrated during this week. (More precisely it occurs on the day before Ash Wednesday.) This day is also known as Shrove Tuesday and is the date when you should confess all your sins before the start of Lent. This is more of a cultural celebration prior to the fasting season of Lent. Mardi Gras can be celebrated over a few days with parades and parties that include the wearing of masks, costumes and beads. If you see a woman with a great number of beads you might ask her how they were obtained! This holiday is not traditionally observed in North America other than in ethnic French cities like Quebec and New Orleans. Of course, the worlds most famous Mardi Gras is celebrated as Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Let me get back to the wonderful week in Ukraine. First of all we are still talking about Lent but in the Eastern Orthodox religion it starts on a Monday. This Monday is called Clean Monday because on the day before, Forgiveness Sunday, you should have asked for absolution for all your sins. This period in Russia and Ukraine is called pancake or Maslenitsa week. This was originally a pagan ritual that became a Christian holiday. Be aware that we are not talking about the same pancakes that are found at IHOP. These are called bliny and except for the potential to have yeast, they are thin and similar to crepes. These can be topped with caviar, jam, sour cream, meat and butter. In fact, the word Maslenitsa comes from the Russian word for butter. In the distant past the pancakes were eaten to celebrate the passing of winter and the coming of spring. They are said to represent the sun because they are warm and round. As part of the religious celebration they are eaten to fatten up on the meat, dairy and eggs that you should not be eating during Lent. Maslenitsa is becoming a bigger and bigger holiday in cities such as Moscow. I was told by my students that something is actually supposed to be celebrated each day, such as one day where men are fed pancakes by their mother-in-laws, one day for sleigh riding and another day to visit god parents. Unfortunately, no one seemed to be able to come up with a complete list of these special days. I was surprised because I actually was given the impression that I  knew more about this week than some of my students but that may not be that unusual because of the suppression of religion during Soviet times. The week ended on Sunday when a large Maslenitsa doll was burned to say goodbye to winter. Additional Maslenitsa events can also include group fist fights, performing bears, singing and fireworks. Of course there is also plenty of vodka to go around.

There was a bonus holiday during this week in 2012. The week of Maslenitsa like Ash Wednesday can change from year to year but The Motherland Defender Day is always on February 23^rd which fell on Thursday of last week. Some people like to call this former Soviet Army Day as “Men’s Day” but other than some presents from women or maybe some special activities at work it can not be compared to International Women’s Day that falls on March 8^th.

Posted by John