Happy Maslena Day!
The Doukhobors have always celebrated Khreshcheniye and still do at the present time, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit onto the Son of man, the day divine grace was bestowed onto Jesus Christ in his human incarnation. On the eve of January 6, the Doukhobors would assemble for prayer, then on the way home, each person would try to draw some water from a well, river or spring; as this water was considered blessed, therefore endowed with purifying powers, it was sprinkled around the house, the barn and the stable; it was used in washing up and was also given to drink to the sick.
The next holiday was Maslenitsa, or Maslena, as the Doukhobors called it. It was preceded by Nedelya Sviatykh Praotsev (“Forefathers' Week”), a time to commemorate ancestors and make traditional blini (pancakes). According to Doukhobor custom, the first pancake went to the household dog because it was believed that "man was eating the dog’s share", a saying that stems from an old Russian legend. According to the legend, long ago, wheat plants had grain filled spires descending all the way to the ground. However, people did not treat bread with the respect it deserved. When God saw how people squandered bread, he decided to punish them by taking it away. Having grasped an ear of wheat with his hands, he began shelling it. Suddenly, when there were just a few grains left on the very top of the ear, a dog howled plaintively. God took pity on him and left him a few kernels. The Doukhobors have always had a very respectful attitude towards bread. It was considered a sin to throw out a piece of bread or to brush off bread crumbs onto the floor.
For the Doukhobors, Maslena began on Saturday and lasted for three days. Neighbors would go visiting, wishing each other a "Happy Maslena". In certain villages it was customary to masquerade during this holiday. Mothers would sew special pockets onto their children's belts so they could fill them with tasty kalachi given to them by housewives as they went from door to door, offering greetings.
Taken from : http://www.doukhobor.org/Holidays.htm
Cool eh? Hahahaha... I should get a dog and feed it pancakes!
The next holiday was Maslenitsa, or Maslena, as the Doukhobors called it. It was preceded by Nedelya Sviatykh Praotsev (“Forefathers' Week”), a time to commemorate ancestors and make traditional blini (pancakes). According to Doukhobor custom, the first pancake went to the household dog because it was believed that "man was eating the dog’s share", a saying that stems from an old Russian legend. According to the legend, long ago, wheat plants had grain filled spires descending all the way to the ground. However, people did not treat bread with the respect it deserved. When God saw how people squandered bread, he decided to punish them by taking it away. Having grasped an ear of wheat with his hands, he began shelling it. Suddenly, when there were just a few grains left on the very top of the ear, a dog howled plaintively. God took pity on him and left him a few kernels. The Doukhobors have always had a very respectful attitude towards bread. It was considered a sin to throw out a piece of bread or to brush off bread crumbs onto the floor.
For the Doukhobors, Maslena began on Saturday and lasted for three days. Neighbors would go visiting, wishing each other a "Happy Maslena". In certain villages it was customary to masquerade during this holiday. Mothers would sew special pockets onto their children's belts so they could fill them with tasty kalachi given to them by housewives as they went from door to door, offering greetings.
Taken from : http://www.doukhobor.org/Holidays.htm
Holiday Name : Maslenitsa (Butter Week)
Date : 8th week before Easter
Description : In folk tradition, a sun festival heralding the imminent end of winter. In Christian tradition, the last week before the onset of Lent. Also called Maslena.
Cool eh? Hahahaha... I should get a dog and feed it pancakes!
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