Pancake Week begins

On the last day of winter, February 28, Ukrainians began their celebration of Pancake Week (Maslyana in Ukrainian). This feast, which is a celebration of the end of winter and meeting of spring, was one of the most popular ones in the Slavic culture.

Pancake Week is associated with the last week before Lent and ends on Forgiveness Sunday, when everyone should forget the wrongs done to them and apologize to people they have offended.

Pancake Week, as well as many other ancient Ukrainian feasts, was included in the Christian calendar as a feast associated with Easter, whereas in the old days it was celebrated before the New Year of our ancestors. Their new year began before the vernal equinox.

During Pancake Week, they did not use meat but only dairy products and usually honored the cattle. They consecrated butter, milk and cheese in the churches.

The main dish of the Pancake Week is pancakes, which are cooked every day during the week.

The pancake tradition originated from the sacrificial bread of the ancient pagans for whom the circle was viewed as the sign of the Sun. The pancakes are made of rye, wheat, buckwheat, millet, or oat. The pancakes are served with butter, sour cream, honey, herring, or jam.

Pancake Week is also known for popular entertainments: dances, singing, sledding, fire making, etc.

On Monday, Ukrainians organize street festivities and make a straw doll. On Tuesday, girls treat boys to pancakes; on Wednesday, mothers-in-law treat their sons-in-law. And on Friday, mothers-in-law are received as guests.

The festivities end on Sunday when people make confessions and ask each other for forgiveness. Then they visit bathhouses as Lent is to be met with a cleansed soul and body.