Maslenitsa

Maslenitsa is an Eastern Slavic festival marking the last week before Great Lent, celebrated mainly in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Festivities include eating pancakes (blini), sleigh rides, games, and the burning of a straw effigy to bid farewell to winter, with traditions rooted in both folk and Orthodox Christian customs.

• Blini (pancakes) are eaten daily throughout the week
• A straw effigy is burned to mark winter's end
• Forgiveness Sunday closes the festival with mutual apologies
• Sleigh rides and snowball fights are traditional activities
• Each day of the week has its own customs and gatherings

What it is

Maslenitsa is a vibrant week-long festival that signals the end of winter and the approach of Lent in Eastern Slavic tradition. It blends ancient pagan customs with Orthodox Christian practices, making it both a spiritual and communal event. For many, Maslenitsa is a time to gather with family and friends, enjoy rich foods, and take part in lively outdoor activities before the more somber and reflective period of Great Lent begins. The festival is marked by warmth, hospitality, and a sense of renewal as communities come together to celebrate the changing seasons.

Where it comes from

Maslenitsa may be the oldest surviving Slavic holiday, with roots reaching back to at least the 2nd century AD. It originally celebrated the sun and the end of winter, with rituals intended to ensure a good harvest. Over time, Maslenitsa was incorporated into Orthodox Christian tradition as the last week before Lent, a period when dairy is still allowed but meat is not. The festival’s customs—such as the burning of the Maslenitsa effigy—reflect both its pagan origins and its Christian significance as a time of forgiveness and preparation for Lent.

How it is celebrated

Celebrations unfold over seven days, each with its own customs. The week begins with the making of a straw effigy, 'Lady Maslenitsa,' which is paraded and later burned in a bonfire to symbolize winter’s end. Pancakes (blini) are central to the festival, served with butter, sour cream, or caviar, and shared with family, friends, and even strangers. In Ukraine and Belarus, dishes like varenyky and syrniki are also enjoyed. Outdoor fun is a hallmark: sleigh rides, snowball fights, and games fill the days, while visits between in-laws and gatherings of women reinforce family and community bonds. The final day, Forgiveness Sunday, is devoted to asking and granting forgiveness, ending with the burning of the effigy and the start of Lent.

Joining in

To experience Maslenitsa, head to cities and towns across Russia, Ukraine, or Belarus during the week before Orthodox Lent. Moscow’s Red Square hosts large public festivities, but smaller towns offer their own unique charm. Expect lively crowds, the aroma of fresh pancakes, music, and laughter. Visitors are welcome to join in outdoor games, sample traditional foods, and witness the dramatic burning of the Maslenitsa effigy. It’s a time of open-heartedness, so newcomers are often invited to share in the warmth and traditions of the community.

Sources and attribution

This page is Mela's own summary, written in new words. Its facts are drawn from the Wikipedia article Maslenitsa, whose text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Each photo is credited to its author beside it. For the full account, read the originals below.

Read more

• Maslenitsa on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data

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