Are you preparing for Lent and eagerly awaiting Maslenitsa? It’s time to discover the origins of this wonderful holiday, during which you can indulge in delicious food and enjoy festivities before the fasting days.

Find out why the dates for celebrating Maslenitsa change? What are the roots of this pancake festival? How did the tradition of making pancakes come about? What are the names of the days of the week? What does each of them signify?

The History and Traditions of Maslenitsa

Many Ukrainians know that pancakes are made during Maslenitsa. However, if you dig a little deeper, people are often at a loss. The holiday is well-known, but its meaning is not clear to everyone. So, where did this fascinating celebration originate? What signs and traditions existed?

The church refers to the celebration of Maslenitsa as Cheese Week. However, it should be noted that the roots of this holiday date back to ancient times. It originated long before the adoption of Christianity by Kievan Rus. Let’s take a look at the history of its origins.

Interestingly, the ancient Slavic holiday now known as Maslenitsa was previously called Komoeditsa. This name comes from the word "Koma" - a type of bread made primarily from oats. They were also made from barley or pea flour, with crushed nuts and dried berries added to the dough.

The komy were consumed on the last day of Komoeditsa. The celebration lasted for two weeks, starting one week before the spring equinox and continuing for another week afterward. Thus, people bid farewell to winter and welcomed spring, warmth, and sunshine.

This is why it became customary to make pancakes during this period - they symbolize the sun. They are typically served hot and generously drizzled with butter. This has a specific significance: just as the butter melts on the pancakes, so do the snowdrifts under the sun.

Despite its pagan and domestic roots, today Maslenitsa is associated with the last week before Lent. This is why the date of the holiday varies. The week of Maslenitsa is determined based on when Easter falls.

After the adoption of Christianity in Rus, people began to observe Maslenitsa day by day. Each day has its own meaning and significance.

Maslenitsa Celebration Schedule by Day

In 2025, Maslenitsa begins on Monday, February 24, and ends on Sunday, March 2, lasting for a week. Discover what customs, besides eating pancakes, are known in the history of the holiday for each day?

Here’s what the days of the week mean based on the traditional activities done day by day leading up to Lent:

  • Day one – Monday – is called "Meeting." Don’t be stingy with food on this day. Remember that meat should be excluded from your diet for the entire week. However, you can indulge in fish, pancakes, pies, and fritters as much as you like! These dishes should definitely be on your table. Bake them, treat the less fortunate, visit friends, and invite acquaintances to your home.

This is why the first day is called "Meeting." Don’t forget that on this day, it’s customary to visit the matchmakers – that’s the tradition. Be generous, share pancakes, and treat everyone with all your heart!

In addition to pancakes, it is customary to start making a scarecrow on the first day of Maslenitsa. You need to gather all the old clothes (in the past, children would go around collecting them) and burn a pile of clothes - this bonfire is called "maslenka." The event was accompanied by sledding, merriment, and games.

  • Day two – Tuesday – is called "Flirting." Forget about games and merriment. The name of the second day implies flirtation, which is nothing but matchmaking. Grooms can confidently head to a dinner where they will be treated to pancakes, pies, and fritters. There’s a belief: if the matchmaking takes place on Tuesday during Maslenitsa, the union will be the strongest!
  • Day three – Wednesday – is "Delicacy." This day is associated with mother-in-law's pancakes. The son-in-law should visit on Wednesday to taste the mother-in-law's treat. The table should be overflowing with dishes, showcasing the daughter's husband’s wealth and respect for her. Interestingly, it’s customary to invite others as well, to maintain peace and harmony.
  • Day four – Thursday – is "Revelry." According to its name, this day is celebrated with great extravagance – it is filled with fun, joy, and laughter. In the past, during the peak of the celebration, Ukraine would observe Maslenitsa on a grand scale, even suspending work.

People would light bonfires, jump over them, even if the day was windy. They would also form circles, sing songs, and dance. A variety of treats were offered not only to relatives and friends but also to neighbors and even passersby. And it was perfectly acceptable for the festivities to last all night.

  • Day five – Friday – is "Mother-in-law's Evenings." After enjoying mother-in-law's pancakes on Wednesday, a return visit was scheduled. The wife’s mother would come to visit her son-in-law for his treats. The table should also be filled with dishes, as it was believed that the richer it was, the more respect the son-in-law showed to his beloved mother-in-law. Staying home is not an option. It’s essential to visit friends and invite guests to your home. Celebrate joyfully among friends and family.
  • Day six – Saturday – is celebrated as "Sister-in-law’s Gatherings." The penultimate day of Maslenitsa is the most modest. Forget about revelry and fun! In preparation for Lent, it is customary to go to church to pray and cleanse oneself of sins. Additionally, daughters-in-law invite their sisters-in-law. This day is celebrated in the husband's house, where they predict the future and tell fortunes.
  • Day seven – Forgiveness Sunday or "Farewell." The last thing people should do during Maslenitsa is to ask each other for forgiveness for any grievances. It is on Forgiveness Day that the Maslenitsa scarecrow is burned. If there is leftover food, it is either thrown away or burned along with the scarecrow. Then, preparations for Lent and church services begin.