Understanding her holidays

[Noch1]

I realized in Ukraine, to keep track of the holidays
could be a full time job. Lets see 365 days in a year.
285 holidays of one sort or another. 

[mendeleyev]

Orthodox Christians around the world are preparing for the time known as "Great Lent." This is the season designed to prepare the soul, mind and body for resurrection Sunday, Easter. The 40 day period prior to Easter is observed by a great fast.

In the West, Easter in 2016 will be celebrated on 27 March. In most of the Eastern world the 2016 date for Easter will be 01 May. This article is written using the Eastern dates.



Meatfare Sunday, 06 March, is the last day before Easter for eating meat. Orthodox Christians observe a fast from meat and meat products during this week, but all other foods are allowed during meatfare. That marks the final week in which consumption of dairy products and eggs is permitted until the celebration of Easter.

On Monday, 07 March, the week begins with Maslenitsa (Масленица) a tradition from earlier Slavic times celebrating the onset of Spring. In Russian culture the predominate food on most tables will be pancakes. For Orthodox Christians it is commonly referred to as "Pancake week" (Масленичная неделя). In Russian you may also hear the phrase сыропустная неделя, translated as "Cheesefare week."

[mendeleyev]

On Monday, 07 March, the week begins with Maslenitsa (Масленица) a tradition from earlier Slavic times celebrating the onset of Spring. In Russian culture the predominate food on most tables will be pancakes. For Orthodox Christians it is commonly referred to as "Pancake week" (Масленичная неделя). In Russian you may also hear the phrase сыропустная неделя, translated as "Cheesefare week."

Strictly defined, Russian pancakes are not really pancakes, but thin crepes known as blini (блины). Blini are cooked on a round surface or pan, and folded over several times with delicious fillings inside. Popular fillings include all sorts of fish - especially salmon (лосось/семга), caviar (икра), mushrooms (грибы), sour cream (сметана), honey (мед), fruit jam (фруктовым джемом), and even ice cream (мороженное).



Sunday, 13 March, is termed "Forgiveness Sunday" (Прощеное воскресенье) and also called "Cheesefare Sunday." This date observes the event in which Adam and Eve, having disobeyed God, were banished from the Garden of Eden. It is the last day to consume dairy and egg products before beginning the six week fast of Great Lent.




The theme of "Forgiveness Sunday" sets the tone for Christians to remember that to be forgiven, it is necessary to forgive others. It is common to greet others with the plea to "forgive me." This sets the tone for remembering that forgiveness is an act of humility and charity for not just one day, but the entire year.

[mendeleyev]

Great Lent is observed by prayers, reading of Scriptures, and confession of sins. It is accompanied by fasting from meat, meat products, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil. Great Lent begins on Monday, 14 March. This fasting period will continue until the celebration of Easter.



Paskha (Пасха in Russian), the Greek word for Easter, is celebrated in 2016 on the first day of May. The word for Sunday in Russian, Воскресенье, is related to the word for resurrection, воскрешение and thus every Sunday is a "little Easter," a reminder of the resurrection.

[mendeleyev]

March 7: No matter which faith, or level of faith, your lady practices, I'd easily bet a Billion dollars that she will be partaking in "pancake week" starting Monday. It is celebrated so far and so wide that you'll be safe in talking with her about her diet of pancakes (blini) for a week.

So, as women love to have their men participate in details of life, enlist her help and try this out for a week for yourself.

[mendeleyev]

Tuesday, 08 March, is the equivalent of Valentine's Day in the Eastern world. It is "International Women's Day" and if you are not aware, then you'd better get on board el pronto.

March 08 is not just a day for love, is the THE day for love.



This day is celebrated by all the ladies in your life so that includes your gal, her mom, her grandmothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, cousins, etc. Obviously the largest bouquet and box of chocolates is for your lady, but you simply should not forget the others.



Question: But I just did something really nice for her on 14 Feb, Saint Valentine's day.

Answer: Dude, do you value your life? 14February was the little league schoolyard tryouts. Listen, 08 March is the Super Bowl of love in the East.
 
In long distance courting, you should gift each lady you have come to know that are close to her. You don't have to gift aunts an cousins, etc, that you either have not met, or have barely met. Always give the bigger gift to her: more flowers, more chocolate for her, smaller amounts for the others.

Remember, odd numbers are for love. Even numbers are for funerals and yellow are sent when a guy is trying to breakup and just be friends, so deliver accordingly.

[GuppyCaptain]

Thanks for posting, Mendy!

[mendeleyev]

You are welcome. 

[mendeleyev]

Pancake week has begun!

With the full story, and her grandmother's recipe, here is Naya as featured on the language pages of the Mendeleyev Journal. In this lesson you will also learn what is expected on each day of the week during Pancake week.

For you married guys, if you want to score big time points--on Friday treat your MIL with pancakes. If you live afar, make it possible for her to have this special treat.

[mendeleyev]

We are in the midst of "Pancake week" as this is the last week to consume dairy products and eggs before the Lenten fast for Easter begins on Sunday. These fasts are often observed by folk who aren't necessarily that religious, for health reasons, and naturally the fast is observed by Orthodox folk.

On Sunday, the more strict provisions of the fast begin: no meat, no dairy, no oil, etc.


Fun factoid:
Between now and Easter, the Kremlin bakery (a unit of the official RF Presidential Canteen System Administration) will hand out close to 30,000 kulichi (Easter cakes) to Kremlin visitors. The bakery also takes special orders from Moscow residents. There are tons of other bakeries in Moscow, but some feel a sense of prestige if their Easter bread comes from the Kremlin. Kremlin kitchens will also prepare and decorate thousands of Easter eggs just in time for Easter.

[mendeleyev]

Did you know?

- Not only do some Russian citizens find it prestigious to order Easter cakes and eggs from the Kremlin (see post above), but even greater numbers order cakes and eggs from Monasteries - a common practice across Russia, Ukraine, and the rest of the FSU.

[mendeleyev]

С праздником! (Congratulations!), Вербное Воскресение (Palm Sunday!) Sunday (yesterday) was Palm Sunday in the Eastern world, sometimes called "Pussy willow" Sunday for northern climates where palm trees are scarce or absent. In one week we will transition from the Great Passion to the Great Paskha (Easter) Sunday.

[mendeleyev]

It is Easter weekend in most of the Eastern world. The word in Russian for Easter is пасха (Paskha), the same as in Greek Πάσχα. The initials "XB" are for Христос воскрес (Christ risen!).

A full page of the Mendeleyev Journal is dedicated to Orthodox Easter as found here.

[2tallbill]

To all my Orthodox friends Khristos vaskrese!
and Krist’e aghdga for my Georgian friends