The annual celebration of Maslenitsa, bright and beloved by everyone, always falls at a different time. In order not to miss anything in preparation for this wonderful event, you should check the calendar in advance.
Maslenitsa week precedes the beginning of Lent. According to ancient traditions, at this stage meat is removed from the diet, but dairy products, eggs and the main symbol of the holiday – pancakes – remain allowed. Its origins go back to pagan rites of welcoming spring, where people said goodbye to the winter cold and conjured the sun for fertility. With the adoption of Christianity, the holiday was filled with new meaning, becoming a time for reconciliation with neighbors and spiritual preparation for fasting.
When is Maslenitsa
The main event of spring for the Orthodox in 2026 – Easter on April 5 – also determines the date of Maslenitsa. The wide week will last from 16 to 22 February. Its culmination, Forgiveness Sunday, when they burn an effigy and ask each other for forgiveness, will fall on February 22.
How to celebrate Maslenitsa
- Monday (“meeting”): symbolizes the beginning of the holiday – a straw effigy is installed and folk festivities begin.
- Tuesday (“flirts”): time for fun, games and youth fun, often associated with matchmaking.
- Wednesday (“gourmet”): the center of the holiday shifts to the table, where mother-in-law pancakes become the main treat for the sons-in-law.
- Thursday (“walk”): fun reaches its peak with mass celebrations, songs, skating and traditional fist fights.
- Friday (“mother-in-law’s party”): it is the sons-in-law’s turn to show reciprocal hospitality by inviting their mothers-in-law to visit.
- Saturday (“sisters-in-law’s gatherings”): daughters-in-law honor their spouse’s relatives, strengthening family ties.
- Sunday (“Forgiveness Sunday”): the culmination of the week: everyone asks each other for forgiveness, burns an effigy of Maslenitsa and spiritually prepares for the beginning of Lent.
The most important attributes of Maslenitsa are golden pancakes, personifying the sun and home comfort. Mass celebrations with fairs and entertainment serve as a noisy farewell to winter and a guarantee of future prosperity. The ancient ritual of burning a straw effigy marks purification and the beginning of a new cycle. And the culmination of the holiday is the most important custom – mutual forgiveness of offenses, which gives Maslenitsa a deep moral meaning.
