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Shrovetide 2024: traditions and when it is celebrated
March 11, 2024, 11:00 a.m
Shrovetide in Ukraine is a favorite and fun holiday that lasts a whole week and is celebrated with dances, games and treats. Despite its pagan roots, it became an integral part of the history of Ukraine and continues to be celebrated to this day. For Orthodox believers, Shrovetide is considered a preparation for Great Lent and is called Cheese or Meatless Week.
When is celebrated in 2024
The holiday does not have a fixed date – it begins 56 days before Easter and is celebrated a week before Lent. Easter in 2024 will be May 5, so Shrovetide in 2024 will begin on March 11 and last until March 17.
Shrovetide or Shrovetide?
The Ukrainian holiday, which is called Masnytsia, is also known by other names, including Kolodiy, Syropust, Cheese Week and others. The holiday received the name “Maslian” in the 1960s of the last century, when the Soviet authorities decided to celebrate it, but this name is of Russian origin. The Masnytsia holiday itself has ancient roots, dating back to the times of paganism, and was celebrated on the territory of Kievan Rus, that is, on the territory of modern Ukraine.
Celebration traditions
Photo by UNIAN
Ukrainian Masnytsia differs from Shrove Tuesday, particularly in the traditions of its celebration. The main dish of the holiday in Ukraine is not pancakes, but dumplings with various fillings, often topped with sour cream. Even a folk saying says: “Wait for the dumplings, Masnitsa will come to you”, and the Cossacks once joked that even the Turks eat dumplings on this holiday.
The Ukrainian holiday is also known as Kolodiy, which symbolizes the small Christmas Sun, which gathers strength to spin the Solar Wheel. Kolodiya rites include the use of a block, which in Ukrainian culture was a symbol of the family. Unmarried boys were tied with a shoelace to their feet, symbolically punishing their celibacy, but they could redeem themselves with gifts or money. It was the community’s way of encouraging marriage and procreation.
The traditional rite of Shrovetide also included the burial of Kolodius, which symbolized farewell to the image of winter. In general, the Ukrainian Masnytsia embodies not only the passing of winter and the meeting of the sun, but also a call for general reconciliation, harmony and forgiveness. The last day of the Shrovetide week is called Forgiveness Sunday, when it is important to forget all offenses and ask for forgiveness. This tradition is still preserved.