Goodbye winter! Russians celebrate Maslenitsa

07 March, 2008, 13:07

Maslenitsa, also known as Pancake Week, is a Russian religious and folk holiday, a centuries-old tradition with pagan and Orthodox Christian significance. In Slavic mythology it's the celebration of the coming end of winter.

For Orthodox Christians it marks the last week before Lent, leading up to Easter.

The most typical elements of the festivities are bliny – Russian pancakes, which are popularly taken to symbolise the sun, and the traditional mascot – Lady Maslenitsa.

At the culmination of the celebration on Sunday evening, Lady Maslenitsa, a straw effigy symbolising winter, must be burnt.