What is Komoeditsa during Maslenitsa? Komoeditsa - what kind of holiday do the Slavs have? Maslenitsa: the conceptual component of the ritual

27.04.2024 -

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Komoeditsa
Type	folk
Meaning	awakening the bear
Noted	Belarusians of the Borisov district of the Minsk province
date	March 24 (April 6)
Traditions	pea comas, turnips, and oatmeal jelly are being prepared. Imitation of a bear waking up from hibernation
Associated with	Annunciation

The only source testifying to this holiday is an article by priest Simeon Nechaev for 1874, partially reprinted by ethnographer P.V. Shein and therefore becoming popular. Nechaev observed Komoeditsa in the village of Begoml, Borisov district, Minsk province.

“On this day, special dishes are prepared, namely: dried turnips are prepared for the first course as a sign that the bear eats mainly plant foods, herbs; oatmeal jelly is served for the second course, because the bear loves oats; the third dish consists of pea lumps, which is why the day itself received the name “komoeditsa”. After lunch, everyone - old and young - goes to bed, does not sleep, but every minute, in the slowest way, rolls from side to side, trying as best as possible to adapt to the turning of the bear.”

It is believed that the next day the bear gets up. In Belarus they said: “On the Sheep Day the bear lies down in the den and begins to suck its paw, on Candlemas it turns over and sucks the other paw, and on the Annunciation Day it leaves the den.”

According to L. S. Klein, the name of the holiday is “a later borrowing from the Latinized Polish culture, which is why it does not exist further east, among the Russians.” The name may indeed be associated with Greek comedy, but not as an ancient relative, but as a borrowing into Belarusian from Greek through Latin. To explain this name, the custom of eating pea comas arose, and since the komoeditsy coincided with the first cattle pasture, the mummers (“pea jesters”) began to depict a bear - the “cattle god” in Slavic ideas. At the same time, L. S. Klein does not provide any evidence confirming this version of the Polish analogue of the holiday.

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Notes

Literature

Klein, L.S.. - St. Petersburg. : Eurasia, 2004.
Rybakov, B. A.// / Reviewers: V. P. Darkevich, S. A. Pletneva. - M.: Nauka, 1987.
Shein P.V.. - St. Petersburg. : Printing house of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, 1902. - 535 p.

An excerpt characterizing Komoeditsa (holiday)

I would give a lot if you would agree to stay with us! One fine day you might change the Earth, Isidora... You have a very rare Gift, and you can truly THINK... But I know that you will not stay. Don't betray yourself. And there's nothing I can do to help you. I know that you will never forgive us as long as you are alive... Just as Magdalene never forgave us for the death of her beloved husband, Jesus Radomir... But we asked her to return, offering protection to her children, but she never returned to us... We have been living with this burden for many years, Isidora, and believe me - there is no heavier burden in the world! But this is our fate, unfortunately, and it is impossible to change it until the real day of “awakening” comes on Earth... When we no longer need to hide, when the Earth finally becomes truly pure and wise, it becomes brighter. .. Then we will be able to think separately, think about each gifted person, without fear that the Earth will destroy us. Without fear that after us there will be no Faith and Knowledge left, there will be no KNOWING people left...
Sever drooped, as if inside he did not agree with what he himself had just told me... I felt with all my heart, with all my soul, that he believed much more in what I believed so confidently. But I also knew that he would not open up to me without betraying Meteora and his beloved great Teachers. So I decided to leave him alone and not torment him any more...
- Tell me, Sever, what happened to Mary Magdalene? Do her descendants still live somewhere on Earth?
“Of course, Isidora!..” Sever immediately answered, and it seemed to me that he was sincerely pleased by the change of topic...

Wonderful painting by Rubens “The Crucifixion”. Next to the body of Christ (below) are Magdalene and his brother, Radan (in
red), and behind Magdalena is Radomir’s mother, Sage Maria. At the very top is John, and to the right and left of
him - two Knights Templar. The remaining two figures are unknown. Perhaps they were Jews who
lived Radomir's family?..

– After the death of Christ, Magdalene left that cruel, evil land, which took away from her the most dear person in the world. She left, taking with her her baby daughter, who was only four years old at the time. And her eight-year-old son was secretly taken to Spain by the Knights of the Temple so that, no matter what, he would survive and be able to continue the great Family of his father. If you wish, I will tell you the true story of their lives, for what is presented to people today is simply a story for the ignorant and blind...

Magdalena with her children - daughter Radomir with her children - son Svetodar and daughter Vesta
and son. Stained glass from the Church of St. Nazar,
Lemoux, Languedoc, France
(St. Nazare, Lemoux, Langedoc)
On these wonderful stained glass windows Radomir and Magdalena with their children - their son
Svetodar and daughter Vesta. Also, here you can see another very interesting
detail - the clergyman standing next to Radomir is dressed in a Catholic uniform
church, which two thousand years ago in no way could have been
maybe. It appeared among priests only in the 11th-12th centuries. Which, again,
proves the birth of Jesus-Radomir only in the 11th century.

I nodded in agreement to North.
– Please tell me the truth... Tell me about them, Sever...

Radomir, anticipating his ambulance
death, sends a nine-year-old
Svetodar to live in Spain... Chu-
there is deep sadness and general
despair.

His thoughts flew far, far away, plunging into ancient, hidden memories covered with the ashes of centuries. And an amazing story began...
– As I already told you earlier, Isidora, after the death of Jesus and Magdalene, their entire bright and sad life was entwined with shameless lies, transferring this lie also to the descendants of this amazing, courageous family... They were “dressed” with ANOTHER FAITH. Their pure images were surrounded by the lives of ALIEN PEOPLE who had not lived for a long time... WORDS that they NEVER SPEAKED were put into their mouths... They were made RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIMES that ANOTHER FAITH, the most deceitful and criminal that existed, had committed and is committing ever on earth...
* * *
From the author: Many, many years have passed since my meeting with Isidora... And now, remembering and living through the former distant years, I managed to find (while in France) the most interesting materials, largely confirming the veracity of Sever's story about the life of Mary Magdalene and Jesus Radomir, which, I think, will be interesting for everyone reading Isidora’s story, and perhaps even help shed at least some light on the lies of “the rulers of this world.” Please read about the materials I found in the “Supplement” after the chapters of Isidora.

Shrovetide, Maslenitsa, Komoeditsa, Komoeditsa, Great Day. The New Year - the Spring Equinox - is one of the four most important holidays of Kologod, timed to coincide with the Spring Equinox and celebrated on the 25th of Berezozol/March, as well as the preceding Maslyanitsa Week (from 18 to 24 of Berezozol/March). According to Slavic beliefs, at this time Svarga “opens”, and the Light Gods “return” to Reality - they come into force after winter, and the souls of the Ancestors “fly on bird wings” from the Heavenly Iriy to visit us - their descendants. The time of rebirth - the spring “resurrection” (from kres - “fire”) of Mother Earth and all of Nature.

History of Maslenitsa celebration

One of the most ancient Slavic folk holidays that have survived to this day. Maslenitsa is a ritual dedicated to seeing off winter and joyfully welcoming spring. In fact, it was a New Year's Eve celebration, only at the beginning of spring (March 1, or March 23 - until the 15th century). Different regions of the state had their own special rituals, however, the concept of the ritual was the same. Of course, today's celebration format is very different from the original traditions. The dominant place is occupied by the entertainment side of the ritual, including inviting guests, a fair, round dances, bonfires and, of course, a huge amount of pancakes.

It is known from history that before the adoption of Christianity, people living on the territory of modern Russia were pagans and worshiped the sun god Yarila (according to some sources, a ritual character who personified spring fertility and sexual power). Even then, it was customary to bake pancakes as a symbol of the sun and some kind of expression of gratitude to the sun god for life on earth.

Later, until the 17th century, Maslenitsa, as “demonic fun,” was constantly condemned by the Orthodox Church. But already in the 18th century, the persecution weakened (this was greatly facilitated by the royals, who celebrated the holiday on a special scale), and very soon this truly Russian rite was accepted by the church and regulated taking into account its interests. Today, Maslenitsa is considered an Orthodox (and not pagan) holiday cycle. In the Orthodox calendar, this cycle plays the role of preparing Christians for Lent, known for its severity and duration.

There is no consensus regarding the origin of the name of this holiday cycle. More often you can find a version according to which “Maslenitsa”, “Maslenitsa” has a gastronomic root. It is in the spring, in March, that cows calve, thanks to which there is a lot of milk, dairy products and butter in the house - “mazalo”. Butter, as a symbol of prosperity in the family, and a round, hot pancake - as the personification of the sun, were obligatory attributes in the ritual of “anointing” the deity, the desire to appease him. After all, the fertility of the earth directly depended on the sun.

In addition, there is an opinion that Maslenitsa goes back even deeper, and initially the ritual was dedicated to the worship of the Slavic god of cattle breeding - Veles.

Another version of the origin of the name of the holiday is based on the assumption that during the week of Maslenitsa, meat was excluded from the diet, but dairy products (cheese, butter, cottage cheese, etc.) were allowed for consumption. Housewives baked butter pancakes. By the way, this is where the second name of the holiday comes from - Cheese Week.

In fairness, let us remember one more legend. It is believed that the birthplace of the holiday is the far North. Once, on a harsh winter day, people, exhausted from the frost, noticed Maslenitsa - the daughter of Frost, hiding behind snowdrifts, and called her to warm them, cheer them up, and help them survive the cold. Maslenitsa appeared to people, but not as a little girl, as she seemed when she was hiding, but as a healthy, strong woman: her cheeks were rosy and greasy from oil, her eyes were cunning, and her laugh was insidious. Drawing people into cheerful round dances, the daughter of Frost warmed them and allowed them to forget about the cold. This is where the joy with which every year Russian people say goodbye to the cold and celebrate spring comes from.

Cheese week

The week preceding Lent is called in the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church as Cheese Week (seven days, a week). It comes immediately after the meat-eating week, and, according to church custom, is intended so that a believer can prepare for Lent and reconcile with his neighbors. According to church regulations, Divine Liturgy is not held on Wednesday and Friday of Cheese Week. And on Tuesday evening the prayer of the Orthodox Saint Ephraim the Syrian is read. In addition, services on the eve of Lent include chants of the Lenten Triodion, Octoechos and Menaion. On Saturday, the reverend fathers of the church are commemorated.

Some rules of Maslenitsa days

Maslenitsa is an ancient custom, which over time has acquired many rules, rituals, and features of the celebration. Within the framework of this article, we cannot afford to list the entire list of such rules. However, let us dwell on the key ones that are relevant today.

During this period, it is not allowed to eat meat, but dairy products and fish are not excluded from the diet. The main treat of the week is pancakes. They are baked throughout the week, and from Thursday to Sunday - in large quantities.

A special feature of the holiday cycle is the permissibility to eat as much as your heart desires. The clearest proof of this can be considered numerous legends, according to which the number of meals could be easily equalized with the number of flapping tails of a dog, or the sum of crows croaking, rooster crowing, etc. Visiting and gluttony from house to house is an obligatory part of the custom.

Mass celebrations are another significant part of the holiday cycle. Round dances, singing, Maslenitsa horse-drawn sleigh rides, funny fights, burning bonfires, huge scarecrows, fairs - motley crowds of people rejoiced at the approaching warmth. In former times, mass fun, and especially horse riding, were of great importance for young men and girls who sought to attract each other's attention.

The entire Cheese Week should be devoted to fun and food, and you should not think about business. When Great Lent comes, so will things and worries.

Newlyweds who got married in the past year receive special attention on this holiday. The young are given amusing tests, put in an awkward position, and visited without an invitation.

On Sunday, which ends the Cheese Week festivities, it is customary to ask for forgiveness from close people and relatives: first, the younger ones ask for forgiveness from the elders of the clan, then vice versa. In addition, they ask for forgiveness from the dead by visiting cemeteries and leaving pancakes on the graves of loved ones.

Maslenitsa: the conceptual component of the ritual

As mentioned above, the holiday came to us from ancient times. Its ritual component is quite multifaceted and complex. At the center of the custom is the idea of the beginning of a new year, a cycle. Hence the other side - the stimulation of fertility in nature (man also treats natural components). No less significant are some elements of the cult of the ancient Slavs, which are still preserved in the Maslenitsa rituals. It is worth noting that most traditional religions are characterized by a relationship between the new year and rituals dedicated to the creation of the world, the renewal of the universe, and the renunciation of the past. In Maslenitsa rituals, the destruction of the old and the stimulation of rebirth and fertility are conveyed in many details. These include burning garbage and effigies of Maslenitsa. The memorial component of Maslenitsa plays an important role in this concept. It was believed that the dead, who were both in the earth and in the other world, could influence the fertility of the earth. Hence the special, honorable attitude towards ancestors, many memorial rites.

Family traditions

It is obvious that family traditions are given a lot of attention during Maslenitsa. The theme of love and marriage is reflected in many customs. For example, young married couples were honored on Maslenitsa. They were subjected to various funny tests: they were given a show, they were rolled in the snow, they were forced to kiss in public, they were thrown with straw or bast shoes, and they even had a “kissing party” when guests could kiss their young wife. Young men and women who did not marry during the past year underwent “punishments” in the form of various testing rituals.

Funeral rites

An important part of the holiday week. Rituals on this topic include: burning an effigy, a special diet, bonfires, fortune telling with melt water (snow as the embodiment of the souls of the dead). It was not permissible to carry out household work because it could offend the dead who were close to the living, and bring various troubles to the household and people. In a word, Maslenitsa, in essence, is a ritual of “cajoling”, appeasing higher powers for the coming year.

Special customs

Special customs include a number of fun activities. The main place among them is sleigh rides. Assorted teams raced through the village or city. The focus, however, was on the young families formed during the passing winter. Couples organized unique shows and made visits to relatives. It happened that the groom took his future wife out into the world, to the surprise of the people. Thus, the newlyweds or future newlyweds seemed to gain universal approval and blessing.

Another fun custom is sliding down the hills. This is a favorite activity for both children and adults. Rolling down the hills on Maslenitsa has always been a widespread custom. As a rule, everyone took part in it, from young to old. We rode on large and small sleds, short logs, boxes with frozen bottoms, pieces of ice from the river, overturned benches. It’s interesting that the kids have been going down the slides all week, but the adults have been going down the slides only since Wednesday. The newlyweds, according to custom, rolled up once.

Fair

It’s a long-standing tradition to organize a meal at home during Maslenitsa and visit each other. On the streets of villages and cities during Maslenitsa they sold all kinds of pickles, pies, pancakes, sbiten and other delicacies. The fun took place on ice slides and in booths; people were entertained by buffoons. Nowadays, fairs are held just as fun and on a grand scale. Folk festivals, concerts, serving pancakes and tea from a samovar are an integral part of many modern fairs. The public is entertained not only by professional artists, but also by amateur citizens. And on Forgiveness Sunday you can admire things created by folk craftsmen, and even buy something as a souvenir.

Days of Maslenitsa week

Until the 17th century, Maslenitsa was celebrated for 2 weeks; later it began to include only 7 days, each of which had a specific name and involved the performance of certain rituals. Every day was full of traditional fun, religious or ritual activities.

Small Maslenitsa

In some provinces they prepared for Maslenitsa from the Saturday preceding the onset of Cheese Week. For some, such preparation was accompanied by baking pancakes, with which the children had to perform the ritual of celebrating Maslenitsa. For others, it was customary for children to collect old bast shoes around the village and greet those who came from the market with the question: “Are you bringing Maslenitsa?” If the answer is negative, the person encountered could be beaten with these same bast shoes. In some localities, Saturday was dedicated to deceased parents, and pancakes were left for their souls on the shrine, roof or graves.

Meat Sunday

This is the last Sunday before Cheese Week, or Maslenitsa. On this day, it is customary to visit and invite relatives and friends. The father-in-law invited his son-in-law to lavish meat treats. They ate a lot and deliciously, saying: “I’m going to eat cheese and butter.”

Maslenitsa week is conventionally divided into Narrow and Wide Maslenitsa. The first period consisted of three days of the week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday). On these days it was possible to do any household work. And from Thursday to Sunday, Wide Maslenitsa began, and all economic activities ceased.

Monday - Maslenitsa meeting

In the morning, the daughter-in-law went from her husband’s parents’ house to her parents. In the evening, the father-in-law and mother-in-law also came to visit them and discussed the “program of events” for Maslenitsa: the composition of the guests, the places of the festivities. On Monday, housewives began baking pancakes. They made a stuffed animal out of straw and various rags and carried it through the streets.

Tuesday - flirt

They called for Maslenitsa, invited relatives and friends to visit for pancakes. The key ritual of Tuesday is the bride's viewing. We have already mentioned that special attention was paid to family and marriage during Maslenitsa: matchmaking was an important part of the rituals, since on the Red Hill holiday (following immediately after Lent) many sought to get married.

Wednesday - delicacies

The mother-in-law invites her son-in-law for pancakes. Of course, other guests were also invited. But expressing affection for one's son-in-law was a key ritual on this day.

Thursday is revelry, or Broad Thursday

Wide Maslenitsa had begun, and people were already having fun on a grand scale. Horseback riding, competitions, fist fights, taking over a town made of snow and feasting - all this allowed the people to release the negative energy that had accumulated during the long winter days.

Friday - mother-in-law's party

The son-in-law invited his mother-in-law, her relatives and friends to visit for pancakes baked by his wife. The key meaning of this custom was the son-in-law’s demonstration of affection for his wife’s mother.
Saturday - sister-in-law's get-togethers

Sisters-in-law and other relatives from the husband's side gathered to visit their daughters-in-law. The daughter-in-law gave her husband's sister a gift. According to church custom, the celebration of all reverend fathers takes place on Saturday.

Sunday - farewell to Maslenitsa

This is the last day of the holiday cycle, its culmination. It is customary to ask for forgiveness from loved ones, and in the evening to remember deceased relatives. On this day, people go to the bathhouse; it is customary to get rid of leftover holiday food. At the end of the day, the effigy of Maslenitsa is publicly burned and the ashes are scattered over the fields. Church custom involves holding the rite of forgiveness and the beginning of Lenten services.

Briefly about pancakes for Maslenitsa

Damn is a Slavic word, its pronunciation is similar among many peoples. So, in Ukrainians, pancake sounds like “mlinets”, in Bulgarian it sounds like “mlin” (millstone, flat and round stone). This word came from milling, one of the main crafts among the Slavs.

Despite the simplicity of the recipe, pancakes are a complex culinary dish that requires special skill and patience. In ancient times, each housewife had her own recipe for making pancakes for Maslenitsa, passed down from generation to generation. When baking, they used flour from wheat, buckwheat, and corn, adding potatoes, cream, apples, and semolina. They ate pancakes all year round, but on Maslenitsa - during all holidays, along with other treats.

The main ritual dishes for Maslyanitsa: pancakes, cheese, cottage cheese, butter. During Maslyanitsa Week, they also celebrate Komoeditsa - the Bear Festival. According to legends, to this day the Bear (the Forest Master, the embodiment of Veles Himself) wakes up in his den after a long winter hibernation. Male Rodnovers honor him with a special Bear Dance and Veles Wrestling. Comas, which are baked by the eldest women in the family on Komoeditsa, are ritual bread made from a mixture of oat, pea and barley flour. Some of the lumps are taken out into the forest and placed on a tree stump, inviting the Forest Master himself to the meal, who is asked not to tear down livestock and not be mischievous in the apiaries throughout the year. At the time of dual faith in Rus', on the 25th of March 25th, the Annunciation was celebrated, which was revered as the third (after Gromnitsa/Candlemas and the Forty/Forty Martyrs) Calls of Spring. People said: “At the Annunciation, spring overcame winter,” which makes all living things rejoice: “The pretty girl does not braid her hair, the bird does not build a nest,” and even the Sun itself “plays”; “With the Annunciation, the bear gets up from its den”, “The Annunciation - the birds are set free.” It was also noted at this time: “At the Annunciation there is a thunderstorm (First Thunder - Spring Perunia) - for a warm summer.” The Annunciation itself was preceded by: 12 Berezozol/March Feofan Prolomi Nast - “There is fog on Feofan - there will be a large harvest for flax and hemp”; 17 Berezozola/March Alexey Teply (Alexey Vodotek) - “Alexey came - he broke the ice”, “Alexey - spill a jug from every snowdrift”, “Alexey - streams of water from the mountains, and fish from the wintering grounds”, “Alexey - turn the shafts out of the sleigh "; 19 Berezozola/March Daria Dirty Ice Holes (Daria Poplavikha) - the time from which they began to whitewash canvases. Soon after the Annunciation, Matryona Nastovnitsa or Matryona Polurepnitsa was celebrated (27 Berezozol/March) - the time of the disappearance of the last snow crust and the arrival of the “pigalits-nastovnitsa” (lapwings).

It is usually celebrated when the Sun “at a sparrow’s leap” passes the Equinox point. Many Rodnovers are now celebrating the New Year - the New Year, which is born on Kolyada, but comes to reality only on the Spring Equinox, when winter ends and the Earth blossoms.
In ancient times, Maslyanitsa festivities lasted not one, but two weeks.
Since ancient times, the main ritual food for Maslyanitsa has been pancakes, whose shape resembles the Sun. They usually did not eat the first baked pancake themselves, but placed it on the dormer window in the hut, dedicating it to the souls of the Ancestors.
Each of the days of Maslyanitsa Week had its own name among the people: Meeting (Slant, or Crooked, Monday), Flirting, Gourmand, Revelry (Cow, or Velesovo, Holy), Mother-in-law's Evening, Sister-in-law's Gatherings and Forgiveness Sunday. Starting from Thursday (Razgul) - Maslyanitsa was called “wide”.
According to other ideas, the Bear leaves the den only on Vasily Pariysky (12th flowering/April), when “Vasily gives the Earth steam” and “The Earth will steam like in a bathhouse.”
According to the Gospels, on this day an “angel” appeared to the Virgin Mary and informed her that she would soon become the mother of the “Savior.”
Matryona was called “half-turnip” because at that time suitable turnips for planting were selected in the villages, which constituted the “untouchable half”.

Spring-Kostroma.

After the day of the vernal equinox, when the Sun-child Khors becomes the youth Yarila, the Russian people celebrate the Great Holiday of the NEW YEAR.

The name "Novoletie (Rodovoye)" has two definitions. The first is because the time is coming for a new natural generation. The second is the ancient Svetorus legend, according to which the clan of Svetorus was formed during the period of Yarila the Sun. That is why he is revered by the Did of the Svetorus. That is why the clan previously bore his name - Yary (Yary-Aryans-Aryans). That’s why Yarila’s Christmas is the Christmas of the New Summer - the New Year.

The onset of Spring-Kostroma is also the Feast of the Mother of God Lada. For Spring is the time of Love and Lad, subject to it. In turn, Lada, being the Mother of the Sun, gave the modern name of the holiday - Maslenitsa. And although some interpret this name from the word “butter”, this is not so, for they eat oil and fatty foods on other holidays, even more so than in the spring.

Being a Great Holiday, Maslenitsa is also called Merry, Wide, Honest, Gluttonous, etc. Among the great pagan Slavic holidays, Maslenitsa is the first not only in significance and order, but also in the sacred sphere of ritual action.

The spectral color background of the Sun during the spring equinox is red. Therefore, another name for the holiday is also valid - Krasnogor.

Yesterday day was equal to night, but from today daylight will begin to increase and night will begin to decrease. That is why this day is also called Svetobor.

With the arrival of Spring, the Forest Master, the embodiment of Veles himself, the Bear, awakens in his den after a long winter hibernation. Men honor him with a special bear dance and Veles wrestling.

Comas, which are baked by the eldest women in the family on this day, determined another name for the holiday - Komoeditsa (s). Komas are essentially ritual breads made from several flour mixtures: oats, peas and barley. Some of the lumps are taken out of the forest and placed on a tree stump, calling on the Master of the Forest for a meal, who is asked not to tear up livestock or play mischief in the apiaries throughout the year. In some regions, the bear itself is called a lump on this day, because at this time it looks like a lump of spring mud.

Who will we give the first pancake to?
- How to whom? - to whom!
- Who will we give spring honey to?
- How to whom? - to whom!
-Who will we give a piece of cheese to?
- How to whom? - To whom!

Maslenitsa is one of the four most important holidays of Kologod. According to Slavic beliefs, at this time Svarga “opens”, and the Light Gods “return” to Reality - they enter the Force after winter, and the souls of ancestors “fly on bird wings” from the Heavenly Iriy to visit us - their descendants. The time of rebirth - the spring "resurrection" (from "Cres" - "Fire") of Mother Earth and all NATURE.

In the morning, people hurry to the temple, a high place where the earth has dried up. Near the temple at the crossroads, grain is scattered. This is done so that the Navyas (devils, evil spirits), who have taken the form of forty, eat the grain and do not interfere with the holiday.

The priests light the Fire, glorifying the gods and ancestors, and the entire Slavic race. General and specific requests are submitted.

The glorification of the Sun-Yarila and Spring-Kostroma begins - Zaklichki. The girls call on Spring, meet her at the edge of the forest and bring her to the people. Everyone begins to celebrate “Spring”, and Spring goes around everyone with a kiss. From now on, she is at the center of the Holiday.

To help Light overcome Darkness (become involved in the temporary change of Day-Night), and Spring overcome Winter, various games and confrontations are organized.

Town. The girls stand on a high fenced place (town), armed with long sticks, and fight off the attack of the guys, beating them mercilessly. The guys “on horseback” are trying to break into the town and take it by storm. The one who breaks into the town first gets the right to kiss all the protective girls.

Fortress. The girls (representing the Force of Winter) are inside the fortress, and the guys (representing the Force of Spring) are outside. At the signal, the assault begins. “Winter” pelts the attackers with snowballs and snow, pushes them away from the fortress and in every possible way interferes with their assault. The task of the “Forces of Spring” is to completely destroy the winter fortress. In the end, Spring defeats Winter and the girls find themselves in snowdrifts.

After the storming of the fortress, the rest of the Maslenitsa fun begins: fists, horses, swings, climbing a pole to get a gift...

The Maslenitsa pillar is the earthly embodiment of the heavenly pillar, the “world tree” on which Iriy is located, and getting there is not easy.

After the games they start treating each other to pancakes. From this day on, the youthful sun Yarilo begins to rage and fry. The sun's rays are getting hotter and brighter. The streams are flowing with might and main. However, the owner of the forest, whose ancient name the holiday is named after, is still sleeping in the den. Therefore, the first pancake is sacrificed to the comas (bears), it is taken to the thicket. This trip is called the “Wake Up” ritual.

People, armed with burning brands, go to “wake up the bear.” In a hole, covered with dead wood, lies a mummer depicting a sleeping bear. The participants of the holiday dance around the den, shouting as loud as they can, trying to wake up the clubfoot, then they begin to throw branches, snowballs, twigs at him (a method of primitive hunting that has survived to this day in the form of a ritual). The "bear" does not wake up until one of the girls sits on his back and jumps on him. That's when the "bear" begins to awaken. The girl runs away, tearing off a piece of the bear's skin or a bear's "leg". The mummer gets up and begins to dance, imitating the awakening of the bear, then goes to look for his loss, leaning on a crutch, singing a “bear” song:

“Creak, leg, creak, fake!
And the water is sleeping, and the earth is sleeping,
And they sleep in the villages, they sleep in the villages.
One woman does not sleep, but sits on the skin,
He spins my fur, cooks my meat,
It's drying out my skin."

Having caught his offender, the “bear” tries to strangle her in his arms with a bear hug. The girl pays off with a lump.

Komoeditsy can be translated as “festival of eating comas” (or “eating comas”), special pancakes dedicated to this beast. A similar holiday in Ancient Hellas was called “comedy” (bear festival), where ancient comedy came from. It should be clarified that the modern name of the beast is allegorical (the “real” name cannot be pronounced out loud, so as not to accidentally call): “bear” is the one who knows honey. In addition, it is quite ancient: not a bear, but a bear. But this name also stuck, becoming “real”. After which it began to be replaced by new allegories: bear, toptygin, clubfoot, etc. “Lump” is also a figurative name: the bear looks like a large ball of wool due to its apparent clumsiness. The original name, perhaps, is contained in the name of the bear’s house: den - “ber’s den”, hence the berendei.

The doll of Vesna-Kostroma is solemnly taken to the temple on a straw “mare” (the doll is knitted from straw and dressed only by women). Everyone stands along the road and calls the goddess:

"Come to our wide yard, ride in the mountains,
Roll around in pancakes and amuse your heart.
Maslenitsa - red beauty, light brown braid,
Thirty brothers sister, forty grandmothers granddaughter,
Three mothers: a daughter, a flower, a berry, a quail."

Spring is called Kostroma because it begins from the moment it is lit and it thereby determines the beginning of bonfire gatherings. Kostroma - KOSTRA MOTHER.

And now Kostroma is hoisted with all honors on the festive stage and solemnly lit - “Hurray! Spring-Kostroma has come and Yarilo-Sun is born!” Around sunny Kostroma, round dances begin around the sun (according to the Sun, clockwise):

“Like during Shrovetide, pancakes were flying out of the chimney!
You are pancakes, pancakes, pancakes, you are my pancakes...
And cheese, and cottage cheese, everything flew under the threshold!
You are pancakes, pancakes, pancakes, you are my pancakes..."
"Come, Red Spring! Come, Hot Summer!
With times of suffering, with flowers, with grass!”

When the effigy of Kostroma burns, they begin jumping over the burning fire, turning to Semargl to light the snow. There is a belief that if you stumble in front of the Maslenitsa bonfire, you will be in trouble in the first half of the coming year, after the bonfire - in the second. If you fall into a fire, expect a big disaster. Well, if you jumped over without being poked, the year will be successful.

After the fire, be sure to wash yourself with snow or melt water. It is believed that melt water gives beauty to the face. Then Yarila, Vesna-Kostroma and Lada are glorified, and the feast begins.

The main dish of the great holiday of Maslenitsa is the pancake - in the Slavic pagan tradition symbolizing the Sun. Cookies, hot pancakes and pies, oatmeal jelly, honey, kvass and snacks are placed on tables covered with a tablecloth. The treat is divided into five parts, and the fifth part is placed in an open place near the sacred Fire, saying: “Our honest parents! Here is a pancake for your soul.”

When parting, they give each other gingerbread, saying: “Forgive me, perhaps I will be guilty of anything.” The farewell ended with a kiss and a friendly hug.

The spirits of the Great Ancestors, invisibly present at the holiday, rejoice in their place with us. The Slavic family has not yet died out, just like thousands of years ago, the Slavs come to the holiday to observe the custom. What is a holiday? A person’s memory of himself through the gods and of the gods through himself, the cleansing of the soul from vain worries and empty memory. Under the gaze of Heaven, the holiday ends, the songs fade away, and the Fire goes out. The words of the Book of Veles ring out, awakening the memory of our ancestors in our souls:

"And Svarog Heavenly will say:
Go, my son, to that eternal beauty!
There you will see your grandfather and grandmother.
ABOUT! How happy and fun they will be to suddenly see you!
Until this day they shed tears,
And now they can rejoice
About your eternal life until the end of time!"

Spring Equinox - Shrovetide, Komoeditsa

Maslanitsa is one of the four most important Solar Holidays of the Year, timed to coincide with the Spring Equinox; a cheerful folk festival dedicated to welcoming spring, lasting, as a rule, for a whole week. (The Spring Equinox itself is celebrated separately by prophetic people: to welcome Spring, special gates are built, located so that the Herald of the Red Spring - the Sun's ray - can penetrate through them exactly at the moment of the Equinox).

Many Rodnovers also celebrate the New Year at this time: the coming of the New Year, born on Kolyada - 25 cold/December.

Komoeditsa - Bear Festival, celebrated on the 25th of Berezozol/March.

According to legends, to this day the Bear (the Forest Master, the embodiment of Veles Himself) wakes up in his den after a long winter hibernation. Male Rodnovers honor him with a special Bear Dance and Veles Wrestling. Comas, which are baked by the eldest women in the family on Komoeditsa, are ritual breads made from several flour batches: oats, peas and barley. Some of the lumps are taken out into the forest and placed on a tree stump, inviting the Forest Master himself for a meal, who is asked not to tear up livestock or play mischief in the apiaries throughout the year. (There is also a version of the origin of the word “Komoeditsa” from the ancient Russian komon - “horse”.

According to popular beliefs, at this time the Trisvetny Dazhdbog mounts His Golden-maned Horse, the clatter of whose hooves on the Heavenly Firmament awakens the Forest Master from his winter sleep on Earth.)

At this very time, cows are calving, and milk, butter, and cheese appear in abundance in houses, for which they thank Veles, the God of Animals. The snow in the fields begins to melt, which marks the near end of winter and the onset of spring: the time comes when the spell of the Old Woman-Mara must be dispelled by the magic of Young Zhiva, who steps on Earth in the guise of the Spring Virgin... According to Slavic tales, Spring-Virgin comes about this time to people on a horse as golden as the Sun, or as green as grass...

As it is said in the prophetic word:

SPRING IS RUNNING ON THE GOLDEN KOMON IN THE GREEN SAYAN ON THE POW SITCHING THE CHEESE EARTH ORUCHI SEEDS SOWING! GO!

The celebration of Maslenitsa begins with the words of the blasphemous Magi:

GO YOU LIGHT-BELOSVETUSHKO OUR RED SUN YOU RISE AWAKENING YOU IN YOUR BRIGHT HOUSE YOU WASH YOURSELF WITH THE DEW AND WITH THE RUNNING WATER LEAD THE GOOD HORSE INTO THE FIELDS OF THE BLUE-BLUE LIGHT AS THE GOLDEN-MANED HORSE GOES TO THE HEAVENLY AND THE SPACE PAST THE PARIETY BOR AND TO KRASNA TO GORUSHKA AS TO TOYLI ON THE GREEN MOUNTAIN THE GRASS WAS GROWING AS THEY GATHERED WHITE SWANS GATHERED ON IT YOUNG YOUNG GIRL ALL THE RED GIRLS STANDED OVER THE RIVER ON HIGH ON THE MOUNTAIN SINGING SONGS - FREEFFLIES CALLED SPRING ASNUYU: YOU ARE THE BRIGHT VIRGIN OF SPRING, YOU COME TO OUR DIRECTION, YOUR FLOWERS ARE STILL SCARLET HONEY DEW YOU CALL HOT SUMMER, DRIVE AWAY THE COLD WINTER! LET THE STREEKS RUNN TO THE MORYUSHKA TO THE BLUE OKIYAN SEA LET THEY SING SONG SONGS LET THEY SING SPRING SONGS GLORYING THE RED SUN OF DAZHDBOZHUSHKA HIMSELF GLORYING THE LIGHT LELYUSHKA AND THE CHEESE MOTHER EARTH! GLORY! GO!

Then a blessing is asked from the Native Gods for the invocation of Spring:

GOD BLESS BLESS MOTHER WINTER SAY AWAY TO SPRING CALL AY MATI LADO-MATI WINTER SAY AWAY AY MATI LADO-MATI SPRING CALL AWAY WINTER IN THE CARRIAGE FLIGHT IN THE SHUTTLE! GO!

Next follow the calls of Spring themselves, which are made by the maidens from the high hills - Yarilin Pleshy, already free from snow oppression, from steep banks and from the roofs of barns. They call out to Spring with a drawn-out “hoot” and recite the words:

YOU VORY VORY YARRY YOU FLY FROM OVER THE SEA YOU TAKE OUT THE KEYS THE GOLDEN KEYS YOU LOCK THE WINTER ZIMONKA THE CHICKY UNLOCK THE LETECHKO LETECHKO HOT! GO!

(According to Slavic tales, from Iriy (Vyriy) Heavenly in the spring the souls of the Ancestors return on bird wings to remain on Earth with their descendants until next autumn.)

RED VIRGIN SPRING COME TO US WITH JOY WITH GREAT MERCY WITH HIGH FLAX WITH DEEP ROOT WITH PLENTY OF BREAD! GO!

To celebrate Maslenitsa, they certainly bake pancakes, which in their very outlines repeat the Sun. The first pancake is always given to the Ancestors - placed in the attic on the dormer window. They also bake specially shaped cookies called “larks”, which they throw as high as possible, calling out to Spring:

LARK-LAKARK FLY FROM THE FAR SIDE BRING RED SPRING TAKE AWAY THE CHICKY WINTER! GO!

The play (the beginning of the mystery action) begins with the capture of the Winter Fortress, erected in advance, in which there is an effigy of Morena-Winter. (Here it should be noted that this scarecrow is certainly created by maidens and wives, who open their eyes to Morena only at the very last moment before the ceremony, covering them with rags or not depicting them at all until the very beginning of the action, because it is unbecoming for the Terrible-Eyed Lady of Death to look at honest people ahead of time .) The Fortress is defended by the “servants of Morena” - girls dressed in “hari” (ritual disguises), who, having denounced everyone gathered against them, must resist the guys going to attack - the “servants of Yarila”, sitting on top of each other, as if during a game of "horses". The first one to break into the Fortress gets the right to kiss all the girls, tearing off their “hari” and thereby removing their encirclement...

After the Fortress is taken, a cart appears with the Spring Maiden, who is accompanied by mummered “young servants” - old men with gray hair, carrying a won stuffed animal and a cage with birds. The procession with songs and fun goes around the field, after which Spring blesses the people, leads everyone to the Fire, where the Magi place an effigy of Morena over the ritual fire - they see off Maru-Winter, thanking for all Her Gifts. Here, special rules are imposed on the scarecrow, so that everything that is outdated, bad, and unclean goes with them to Nav.
They set fire to Krada and chant the words:

FIRE-FIRE FLAME FIERCE CURLS GOLDEN EYES CLEAR FIRE-FIRE FLAME LIGHT GOLDEN FALCON SPREAD WINGS FIRE-FIRE FLAME PURE WAKE UP SPRING WINTER RELEASE FIRE-FIRE BURNING FLAME BLOOD BOILING FUMBEST FUMBLY NEW-FIRE GLORIOUS FLAME SPRING COMES IN TURN RELEVANT FIRE-FIRE FLAME FLY HIGH, SWARGA, BURN THE EARTH, INLIGHTEN! GLORY! GO!

Spring releases birds from their cages. The Magi speak, and all the people take up:

GO YESI SVA! VOYER LET OUT THE WINGS! GLORY TO YOUNG SPRING! GLORY TO YARIL-SPRING! GLORY TO THE DEAR MOTHER EARTH! NVA! GLORY! GLORY! GLORY! GO!

This Holy Day is certainly celebrated with fist fights and all sorts of valiant amusements, all with noise, with uproar - boom, songs, and prophetic words:

YARI YARI US WITH HER POWER VELMA THE GREAT STAY THE SUN IN THE SKY CLEAR IN THE SPRING-RED LIGHT THE MOUNTAIN ABOUT THIS TIME HUNDRED THE MOUNTAIN IS RED VELMA IS BEAUTIFUL HUNDRED THE MOUNTAIN IS HOLY AND ALL RICH IS BEAUTIFUL TO THE GODS AND TO PEOPLE ALSO THE FIERNING POWER OF GOY YARIL ! GLORY! GO!

Right now they go into the forest to “wake up the Bear.” In a specially prepared “den”, one of the knowledgeable people lies in advance, transformed into a Bear. They “wake him up” with cheerful noise - screams, blows on a tambourine, the sounds of bells and rattles. In order to appease the “angry” Forest Master, they give him a beautiful maiden “as a wife”, who leads him to the set table, treats him - feeds him and gives him something to drink, and honors him in every possible way. The “Bear” is no longer angry, forgives those who woke him up, and blesses all those gathered, after which he takes off his okruta - takes off the Bear’s mask and glorifies the Prophetic God:

GOY GRANDFATHER GOY BEAR GENEROUS FATHER! WE'LL POUR YOU A BEER, WE'LL SING FOR YOU AND WE'LL BOW YOU! WAKE UP IN YOUR DREAMS IN A FUR FUR COAT WITH A GOLDEN HAT! GO! GLORY TO VELES!

The celebration ends with the erection of a Fire Stake (Wheel) on a high pole, around which they dance in salting circles (according to the movement of the Sun), glorifying the flaring Spring Sun with the whole world:

THE HIGHEST KOLO YARI WHITE LIGHT RISE THE SKIES OPEN MARU-WINTER DRIVE THE HIGHEST KOLO YARI TO THE EARTH Blessings GIVE BY POWER THE HOUSE OF THE GLORY OF THE HIGHEST FOR THE SAKE! GLORY! GLORY! GLORY! GO!

Kone.
Sundress.

1. Morenin’s inheritance in Kologda

Mara Morena - Lady of the Winter, Young in the morning of winter (i.e. at the beginning of winter) and Old in the evening (i.e. at the end of winter). Honest relatives, who endure their earthly belly in reality, meet and honor Mara Temyanaya about the autumn time - on Marin day, celebrated no earlier than the 9th Breast/November month, but no later than the 21st Breast. They accompany Her to Maslenitsa Week, timed to coincide with the Spring Equinox and the Bear Festival - Komoeditsa.
2. Honoring Morena on Komoeditsa

About this time, having properly honored the Prophetic God Veles in the image of the Shaggy Bear - the Master of the Forest, knowledgeable people recite a special glorification of Mara: VELESOVA MARA! PROTECT US FROM ALL TROUBLES, OPEN THE DOORS OF THE VEDIA, LEAD US NOT IN ANGER, WE CARE FOR THE WINTER MAID TODAY! GO BLACK MOTHER! GOY-MA!

3. Small funeral service for Ancestors

Since ancient times, Maslenitsa Week has been revered by the people as a time for bravery and games, fun and a series of merry festivities. But knowledgeable people, who know the timing of the opening of the Navya Gate from the Other to Reality, hold funeral feasts for the Ancestors at this time, paying special honors to the Navya Masters: Veles Koshchny and Mara-Morena - the Navya Lady. This is what happens:

1. After bringing the general requirement (for more details about this, see our “Small Constable”), the priest approaches Krada, pours grain into the Fire and says the words:

IN THE GOOD IN THE NEW DAY I RECOMMEND TO THE HOUSE OF HEAVEN WORDS HONEST JOYS ISTY YES DEMANDS PURE TO US BE HEALTH AND GLORY TO ANCESTORS! GO!

2. Then the priest gives way to the devotee, who says:

CHURS-ANCESTORS IN THE TRUTH STRONG OLD ANCIENTS LOYAL TO THE FAITHFUL SAINTS PURE IN THE FAITH ISTISTS IN THE VEDIA STRONG PROTECTED US FROM THE WORSE FROM THE DANGER FROM THE OTHER FROM THE BOTH! GO!

3. Next, the panhandler gives way to the priest, who completes the brief funeral service with the words: HOLY HOLY GRANDFATHERS, GUARDING THE VEDAS, BORYASH ILLNESS, GONYASH TROUBLES, GIVE OUR SHARES AND FREE WILL ON OUR WEIGHTS BY CONFIDENCE YOU ARE STILL STRENGTH IN THE FAMILY POWER BY RIGHT JUDGING BE WITH US! GO!

4. Burning the effigy of Mary

In the prophetic tale, about the Maslenitsa season, we recommend this:

Mara is walking down the street, carrying pancakes on a saucer - Whoever takes it out, it will come true, For whoever it comes true, it will not pass... About the bright time on Red Mountain, they called out to the Spring-Virgin, and saw off the Winter-Old: “Go away, Winter-Morenushka, Go away.” another shore! Come to us, Red Virgin Spring, Come to us, Lelya the Beautiful!” The Red Spring-Virgin answered the people: “You are a goy, you are Russian people! Winter is still strong in its right, The icy fortress stands high, That’s why there is no way for me to go to Rus'!”

How the Russian people heard those words, They gathered all over Bright Rus', The Russian people are honest Rodovichs, Good fellows are Yarilin’s accomplices. How they mounted fast horses, rode the ice stronghold onto Morenina, scattered the stronghold across the open field, and took Morena’s effigy from it. They took Morena carelessly, carried her out to the front of the yard, knitted Navya Nauz on a stuffed animal, placed the stuffed animal on the Ardent Fire. It was burning smoky - the Old Winter was leaving, the Young Spring was coming to Rus'! On this, the Russian people sing glory to the Red Spring, And Morena-Winter is waiting for Her in due time: “Glory today, Red Spring-Virgin! Be magnified, Dark Mother in Your time! Hey, Great Mother! Goy-Ma!”

1. The prophetic maidens call to Spring from the hills and hills, sing spring songs, especially calling out and “hooting” protractedly to the Light Goddess.

2. Spring comes from the eastern or southern side with His retinue and says, addressing all those gathered, that he will not be able to enter their circle until there is a snow fortress on the other side of the ravine, in which there is an effigy of Morena-Winter. At the same time, it must be said that the Eyes of the stuffed animal are “opened” only at the very last moment before the start of the action, so that the Navy Eyes of She Who rules in Death do not peer into Reality ahead of schedule: special priestesses of Morena, when the time comes, draw Marina’s Eyes on the face is stuffed (sometimes they are depicted half-covered) or the bandage is removed from the previously opened eyes.

3. As a rule, the snow fortress is defended by a gang of girls - Morenina's accomplices, and a gang of young men - Yarilin's accomplices - goes to storm it. Sometimes several young men in Navy disguises come to help the girls. During the assault on the fortress, you should be very careful and careful about the scarecrow you are conquering, so as not to accidentally blaspheme the Dark Lady, who rightly punishes everyone for their faults and untruths.

4. When the fortress is taken and the effigy of Morena is recaptured, it is solemnly carried to the place where the funeral Krada has already been laid out, and handed over to the hands of the Navya priest or his accomplice, who certainly accept the effigy through mittens or through the sleeves and install it near the Navya Goddess, located on the north or west side of Krada. All those gathered, if desired, approach the scarecrow one by one and impose special teachings on it, “tying” to it all the sorrows and pains of the past summer. If there are a lot of people at the festival, then the Navi priest and his accomplice surround the entire crowd with stuffed animals.

5. Saying goodbye to Morena until the next winter, the conspirator of the Navii priest says the words:

YOU ARE FORGIVE-FAREWELL MORENUSHKA PRINCESS ICE TEMYANA PRIESTESS TEMYANA ONLY FROM US YOU ARE LEAVING WINTER FIERCE WITH YOU IN THE COLD DAY DO NOT COOL OUR KIND DAY DO NOT JUDGE LEAVE US NOT IN ANGER REVERENCE TO THE WINTER MAID! GO BLACK MOTHER! GOY-MA!

6. Then the priest Navi himself speaks the words:

HEAR THE MARA OF YOU WHO HONORED WITH YOUR BELOW NONE OF THE LESSONS OF YOUR COMING GREATNESS OF THE GREATNESS OF YOU WITH THE DAY OF THE YEAR RETURN TO US IN YOUR TIME RETURN WITH A NEW WINTER NOT WITH TROUBLE WITH WHITE SNOW NOT WITH PETROL BLACK AND BECOME THE DAY TO PROTECT OUR WEIGHT GET AWAY MARA KHLADNA AWAY FROM US RELENTLY TAKE ALL OUR DARLING TROUBLES AND SORRES WITH YOU OVER THE BLUE SEA BEHIND THE STONE LATYR OVER THE BLACK WASTE WHERE THE NAVIES ARE AND YOU CARRY ALIVE LET IT BE SO UNTIL A NEW STAKE AND HERE IS NOT YOUR TIME! GO BLACK MOTHER! GOY-MA!

7. The Navi priest and the devotee carry the scarecrow to Krada (different from the general ritual fire, which previously included the requirements of the Light Gods) and plunge it into the Fire. Then, standing opposite each other on different sides of the Krada, one by one, as if calling out to one another, they shout words at the burning effigy, while moving their hands over the Fire and moving the Force like this:

FUCK YOU MARA! HITTING MARA! ANOTHER LIFE WITH FURIOUS AGILE CARRY MARA! HITTING MARA! FULL MEASURE TO EVERYONE IN THE CASE OF KERSIA MARA! HITTING MARA! YOUNG, YOUNG, OLD, OLD, KARSYA MARA! HITTING MARA! TO THE GOOD, QUIET TO OTHERS, THE DAMN PUSH MARA! HITTING MARA! PURSE MARA FOR THE GUILTY OF OTHERS! HITTING MARA! WITH THE WHITE BONE AND ASHES OF THE GRAVEYARD KARE MARA! HITTING MARA! APPEARING IN BEAUTY AND OTHERWISE IN PASSION, CURSE MARA! HITTING MARA! BRING AWAY THE SEAS-FLAWS AND FEVERS OF KARSYA MARA! HITTING MARA! GET US FROM THIS, GET OUT OF THIS MARA! HITTING MARA! TAKE AWAY BEYOND THE OKIYAN SEA KARSYA MARA! HITTING MARA! MOTHER IS GREAT IN ALL APPEARANCES! GO BLACK MOTHER! GOY-MA!

8. And in conclusion, the priest speaks three times, and all those gathered repeat the words after him:

FUCK AWAY MARA! HAPPY ALIVE! GOY-MA!

9. After this, all participants in the action, as a rule, gather for a fraternity
, where they raise glasses to the glory of the Native Gods and Ancestors, as well as for the health of all their relatives, who endure their lives in the Reveal. And only the radars of Morena, led by the Navy priest, do not participate in the general fun, retiring to perform special zeal in honor of She Who rules in Death...

In the era of dual faith in Rus', Matryona Winter was celebrated on the 9th of November/November. They noted: “If there is frost on the trees on Matryona, it means frost,” “If there is fog on Matryona, it means a thaw,” “If on this day the goose goes out on the ice, it will still float on the water.” 21 breasts celebrated the Entry of the Mother of God (Mary) into the temple. The people believed that on this day Morena-Winter finally comes into its own in the world of the Earthly Reality: “At the Introduction, winter is introduced,” “The Introduction is the gate of winter,” “The Introduction has come, and brought winter.”
Old Russian us - “us”.
Those. Gate of Spiritual Knowledge.
Old Russian nikolizhe - “never”.
Mara is simultaneously Alive and Dead, Maiden and Elder, Dying and Reborn, just like Her Light in the sky - the Moon. At the beginning of winter Mara is young, at the end she is old. Accepting the Power of Mara, She is addressed as a Young Maiden, and when daring, She is called an Old Woman. True radars of the Dark Lady see Her in the image of a Beautiful Beloved, while to others She appears in the image of the Terrible Old Woman-Death with an iron jagged scythe or with a bloody sickle in her hands.
See, for example, the following. edition: 1) Vlkh. Veleslav. Ritualist. - M., 2003; 2) Vlkh. Veleslav and others. The Explanatory Ritualist. - M.: Publishing house. Communities “Rodolyubie”, 2004.
Here: on “Yarilina bald spot” - on a hill from which the snow has already melted. Not to be confused with Krasnaya Gorka - the Rodnoversky Holy Day, celebrated on Spring Grandfathers at the beginning of the month of Traven/May and dedicated to the Memory of the Ancestors.
Fortress.
During the Maslyanitsa games with the capture of the snow fortress, a gang of attacking young guys often appears as if playing “Konyashki” - riding on top of each other.
That is, without touching the stuffed animal with your bare hands, as I demand from Navya - so as not to interfere with Reality and Navya before the due date.
So that together with them everything that has expired in Reveal and in human souls will go to Nav.
Joint feast.

From February 20 to 26, the holiday is celebrated on a grand scale throughout our vast country. Maslenitsa. Local administrations, to the best of their ability, organize various entertainment events in the settlements entrusted to them. Entire farmsteads are being built on the territory of the parks - Maslenitsa towns with village houses and shopping arcades, which are bursting with all kinds of delicacies. There are huge samovars with tea, and bundles of bagels, and mountains of painted gingerbread, and various smoked pickles, kebabs, fish and caviar, but the main delicacy these days is, of course, pancakes. Hot from the heat, with butter, sour cream, caviar, mushrooms or fish - for every taste.

On Maslenitsa, theatrical performances, round dances with folk songs, the ceremonial burning of the Maslenitsa effigy and all sorts of pyrotechnic entertainment are organized, special “Maslenitsa tours” and exhibitions of decorative and applied arts are organized. People happily ride on sleighs and huge carousels, take part in races on stilts and competitions with prizes, dance in circles, children slide down the ice slides with delight, girls dress up in townsman scarves, young people, warmed up by tea (and not only) They are scared to climb the Maslenitsa pillar to buy gifts.

There is high spirits everywhere. Yes, this is understandable. Everyone is already tired of the long, cold winter, the celebration of the New Year is already a little forgotten, and the soul is asking for a holiday. And that’s right - we need to celebrate, and we also need to have fun. But here's the question: What is the essence of this holiday? What do we celebrate on Maslenitsa, Russians?

In general, there will be few answer options. I will assume that faithful Christians on Meat or Cheese Week, for that is what they call this holiday, are preparing for Great Lent before, and the rest will answer that this holiday is pagan, and they are saying goodbye to winter and welcoming spring. But, have mercy, in February in Russia it is too early to welcome spring in the midst of cold weather, among snowdrifts and snowstorms. What's spring like? Look at the thermometer! And isn’t it logical to meet spring not a month before it, but, in fact, in the spring? It was then that the so-called “pagans” met her - in day of spring equinox- the day of the astronomical, not calendar, beginning of spring. It is interesting that in some European countries, in particular in Spain, spring still “arrives” on March 21, and winter on December 21.

Unfortunately, the true meaning of this holiday was lost long ago, or rather, the servants of the lunar cult deliberately tried to lose it in order to throw off the genetic memory of an entire people. At different times and in different countries, the servants of this black cult called by different names, but now we know it under the name. However, some fragments have been preserved, because, despite the thousand-year yoke of the Christian Church and the burning out of true folk traditions with fire and sword, they sit in our genetics. We just need to awaken her. We only need recall who we are and where we came from.

The fact is that no ancient Slavic holiday Maslenitsa is not, and it does not have any “pagan” roots. This holiday received the name “Maslenitsa” from the rich oily food that was supposed to be consumed during the entire last week before Lent, when eating meat was no longer allowed, but dairy products were still possible. In addition, Maslenitsa in its modern form, as such, began to be celebrated only in the 16th century, when it abandoned vain attempts to erase the Vedic holiday from people’s memory, but also did not want to leave everything to chance, and simply decided to “edit” it slightly, also , as she did with other Vedic festivals. As they say, if you cannot defeat the enemy, join him, and, I would add, destroy him from the inside.

A significant role in this dirty deed was played by the reform of Patriarch Nikon in the 17th century, the essence of which was not at all in correcting liturgical books according to the Greek model and changing Christian rituals, such as two-toed to three-toed, as they are now trying to present it to us. Nikon launched information virus replacing the Vedic worldview with the obscurantism of Christianity, “wearing” their clothes for Vedic holidays. All Vedic holidays were “attached” to a Christian saint, fortunately the church had more than enough of them, or a holiday. After which the holidays that the Rus celebrated for thousands of years, and some for tens of thousands of years (for example, the ancient spring holiday in honor of the destruction by Dazhdbog of the moon Lelya with the bases of the Dark Forces on it), while maintaining the Vedic form, acquired a completely different meaning, very far from initial, but so necessary for the enslavement of the most rebellious people on earth, whom the Dark Forces could never defeat in a fair fight. However, they almost succeeded in this with the help of deception, using social weapons - by placing their Christian cuckoo in the Vedic nest of the Rus, who ousted the Vedic traditions from their consciousness and replaced them with their own, so much so that the substitution was not noticed, in order to lull their genetic memory and impose on them your religion of death (on the “cuckoo principle” see the wonderful book by academician N.V. Levashova, Volume. 2, Ch. 5).

After the bloody baptism of Rus' in the 10th century, which was a real genocide of the Slavs, after which the population of European Rus' decreased from 12 to 3 million people, a double faith. To preserve their lives, people formally followed church traditions, but continued to live according to Vedic laws. This went on for centuries, but stubborn in its policy of imposing its obscurantist rituals (see the film about this Alexandra Atakina) the Christian church gradually replaced the Vedic holidays with its own, for which it also gradually destroyed universal literacy among the Slavs. It is much easier to govern an illiterate and ignorant people! But even in the 10th century, ordinary villagers from distant lands wrote notes to each other, calculated the harvest, collected debts, exchanged jokes and wrote instructions on the household. And this despite the fact that at the same time the king of France was illiterate and put a cross instead of a signature!

So here it is. The same cuckoo parsley happened to the Vedic holiday, which is now called Maslenitsa. It is quite possible that under the guise of Maslenitsa we secretly imposed Jewish celebration, annually reminding everyone of the unprecedented, bloody crime Jews who vilely massacred the Persian elite 2400 years ago, who did nothing wrong to them! (The Bible talks about this in the book of Esther.)

The Christian Church “recognized” the ineradicable folk Vedic holiday from memory, but called it in its own way, moved its celebration to the week preceding Lent (just during the celebration of Purim), and now Purim is “celebrated” under different names in many countries of the world nothing unsuspecting people. This is confirmed by the date of this holiday, which for some reason turned out to be "floating", depending on the “floating” Christian date, which, in turn, is calculated according to lunar calendar. So not only among devout Christians their god dies every year on different days, but by their grace we also meet spring on different days and even, sometimes, in different months.

In order to more reliably consolidate the “novelty” in the people’s memory, secular authorities also joined in the celebration of Maslenitsa. At the beginning of the 18th century, Peter I, or rather, false Peter(about the substitution of Peter I, see the wonderful film by Alexander Atakin), wanting to be like “enlightened” Europe in everything, he issued a decree according to which Maslenitsa was celebrated in the European style, like carnivals with cheerful carnival processions of mummers, antics of jesters, copious drinking and partying. The holiday was led by the clownish “Patriarch” appointed during Maslenitsa, who headed the “all-joking and all-drunk cathedral.”

So what kind was the ancient Vedic holiday distorted this time?

This holiday was called Komoeditsa. He Always celebrated on the day - 21 March according to the modern calendar, after which the day becomes longer than the night, and nature awakens. This holiday also had a functional meaning. It was necessary to invigorate and strengthen the strength of people after a long and cold, and often half-starved, winter with fun and abundant food before the start of intense agricultural work, which lasted throughout the warm season. The solemn celebration of welcoming spring lasted 2 weeks– a week before the spring equinox and a week after it. And immediately after it, hard, intense work began from sunrise to sunset in order to provide food for the next long winter, repair or build housing, stock up on fuel, etc., in general, “prepare the sleigh in the summer.”

In addition to the main meaning of the sacred holiday - welcoming spring and the transition to agricultural work - on this day the Slavic Bear God was revered: the first baked holiday pancakes were sacrificed to the owner of the forest, which were solemnly taken to the forest. Hence the Russian proverb: “The first pancake is for the people, the second pancake is for the acquaintances, the third pancake is for distant relatives, and the fourth pancake is for me.” Comam, and not a lump, as we were taught to say, that is, a sacred animal - . Hence the name of the holiday - Komoeditsa.

The fact is that the Slavs called this animal differently: bear - the one who knows honey, ber - hence the den (ber's lair) and com. Hence “komanika”, koma berries - raspberries, which were called bear berries because of the bears’ addiction to feast on raspberries. In addition, raspberry juice was often popularly called bear’s blood. The ancient name of this plant is mentioned in the “Glorious Aryan Vedas” - the oldest source of information about the past of our people.

Each plant is near the Source
The properties changed and the original growth.
Mushrooms rose a yard above the ground,
But they were endowed with stone flesh.
The feather grass rose up to a span,
And the berries coma grown up like trees...

We are Russian people. We are Russians. And we must know and honor their holidays, and celebrate them the way our ancestors celebrated them, and at the time our custom requires. Whether someone likes to celebrate the “holy” dates of Death, such as “beheadings,” “entombment,” “raising the cross,” the instrument of execution, that’s their business. Whether someone likes to pray to the black gods and demons of death is also their business.

Our business and our right is to be reasonable people and celebrate Light And Life!

Elena Lyubimova, 02/24/2012

Hello, dear readers!

There is a week left until the spring equinox this year. There are several articles on the site dedicated to this event. We have already talked about how the Celts greet spring and about their holiday - Ostara. We talked about the spring equinox in general. The time has come to tell how the Slavs celebrated this day.

In general, in March the Slavs had interesting holidays:

Small autumn (New Year);

Day of the Bear's Awakening;

Invocation of Spring;

Komoeditsy (Komoeditsa, Komoeditsy).

The latter is what interests us. And, precisely because it falls on the spring equinox.

Komoeditsa, what kind of holiday?

You may be surprised, but this is, in part, Maslenitsa. How so? After all, we celebrated Maslenitsa back in February. There is a nuance here: a modern holiday is not quite what is needed. Now I'll tell you why.

Let's remember what Maslenitsa is - it's farewell to winter. But what kind of farewell can there be in early March or, in general, in winter? Isn't it more logical to welcome spring when it really begins? It’s more logical that our ancestors, like the pagans all over the world, did just that - they said goodbye to winter on a day that has a solid foundation, on the day when winter really ends, as indicated by the Sun. Such a day is the spring equinox.

Komoeditsa is the great ancient Slavic meeting of spring and the beginning of the ancient Slavic New Year, which also marked the transition to spring agricultural work.

This ancient holiday has common elements with modern Maslenitsa, take at least some rituals:

baking “sun food” - pancakes;

burning an effigy of winter;

But, nevertheless, the general meaning is still different: modern Maslenitsa has been greatly transformed. This is clearly reflected in the table.

Holiday ideas

To fully understand what Maslenitsa-Komoyeditsa is and what meaning it carries, it is worth considering its main ideas:

Cyclicality of time.

Our ancestors considered Maslenitsa a milestone after which winter and frost gave way to spring warmth. The cold weather went away, nature returned to life - here it is, the cycle.

Fertility cult.

Where there is life, there is its continuation. Winter was gone, nature was resurrected, the earth absorbed the last snow and was ready for a new fertile year. And since the harvest was the main value for the peasants, our ancestors tried to help the land gain strength for abundant harvests.

Maslenitsa in Rus' was a kind of liturgy, only the role of God here was played by nature itself and its elements, to which the Slav made an impromptu sacrifice.

Continuation of the family.

The fertility of the land was reflected in those who lived on it. The circle of life... “you must give life to another,” as Mother Earth does.

Ancestor cult.

Another attempt by the Slavs to take a closer look at the mystery of life and death. Our ancestors believed that the deceased, whose body was in the earth and whose soul was in the land of the dead, could influence the fertility of the earth. That is why it was necessary to appease the spirits. Funeral ceremonies included sacrifices, mourning and hearty meals, in which, according to the beliefs of the ancestors, the dead themselves took part.

Name of the holiday

It is worth noting that in addition to welcoming spring, in this day our ancestors praised the Bear God.

From the very morning, even before breakfast, everyone went into the forest singing and dancing, where they laid out “pancake sacrifices” on tree stumps. It was a gift to the great Honey Beast. And only then the fun and feasting began.

By the way, our ancestors called the bear “com” (hence the rule - “the first pancake is for the coms,” i.e., Bears). But perhaps this is allegorical - after all, the true name of the Lord of the Forest could not be pronounced out loud, so as not to inadvertently be called upon.

Also, Komoeditsy is translated as “festival of eating koms” - special pancakes dedicated to the sacred bear.

Traditions and rituals of Komoeditsa

Komoeditsa is one of the most important Slavic holidays, they were very much looking forward to it, they carefully prepared for it: steep slopes of the banks were poured for skiing, high ice and snow mountains, fortresses, and towns were built. It was forbidden to work on these days, people rested:

stormed the ice towns where the stuffed Madder was hiding;
They got into fist fights, and fought for real, until there was blood. Shed blood was also a sacrifice to the gods and the future harvest.

But the last day of the holiday is especially noteworthy.

Last day of the holiday

On the holiday morning, people went to the temple. Grain was sprinkled near it and at crossroads. This is for the Navi spirits, who in the form of forty ate it and did not interfere with the celebration.

The table was set (there must be a tablecloth on the table). We ate pancakes, jelly, honey and kvass.

The treat was divided into several parts, usually five. Moreover, a fifth part was given to the spirits of ancestors:

Our honest parents! Here's a pancake for your soul

A stuffed Madder was taken to the temple (it was made of straw and attached to a pole). During this action, people stood along the road and bowed to him.

They praised the gods and ancestors and lit a fire.

They led round dances, “putting on a mask” so that evil spirits would not recognize them, jumped over the fire, and then washed themselves with melt water or snow. This was done for beauty.

They drank surya (charmed milk combined with healing herbs, which was considered divine by the Slavs and purifying the human spirit). The first cup of this drink was given to Marena with the words:

Go away, winter is cold! Come, Summer is hot!
With times of suffering, with flowers, with grass!

It was important that not a drop should be spilled on the altar, otherwise, as our ancestors believed, the cold would come again.

Afterwards, Madder’s effigy was burned, along with various garbage, old things and straw.

They rolled burning wheels down the hill as a symbol of the sun. At the same time they said:

Roll down the mountain, come back with spring!

“We woke up the bear,” started various games, in a word, had fun.

Also, it is worth noting that before the last holidays, in order to wash away all the bad things, we went to the bathhouse.

After all the festivities, at the end of the holiday, people began agricultural work - a new agricultural year began, new worries, new works. This continued throughout the warm season.

How to treat modern Maslenitsa, which in the folk calendar is considered a “farewell to winter,” everyone decides for himself. Some people celebrate, some ignore, some wait for the spring equinox to celebrate spring the way “their ancestors bequeathed.”

That's probably all. See you.

P.S. Based on materials from the site slavyans.myfhology.info

The Slavs have especially revered holidays. Such bright events include the holiday of the spring equinox among the Slavs, it was called Komoeditsa. Dancing, games, fun competitions and, of course, traditional treats - that’s what Komoeditsa is among the Slavs! But you can’t describe everything in a nutshell, so we’ll tell you about the holiday in more detail.

The day of the vernal equinox is one of the brightest holidays among the Slavs - Komoeditsa! This is a bright meeting of spring and sun. Although this holiday is confused with the famous Christian event - Maslenitsa, it is still not the same thing at all. Maslenitsa moves every year. Komoeditsa always falls on the day of the spring equinox. The holiday is highly revered among the Slavs. Vibrant festivities traditionally last all week until the March solar break and another week after it.

Celebration of Komoeditsa among the Slavs

The main rituals for the spring equinox among the Slavs are associated with honoring the Gods: Yarila (God of the Spring Sun) and Lelya (Goddess of Spring). This is a holiday to welcome spring. In this event, the Slavs showed joy from the awakening of nature and paid tribute to respect and gratitude to the Gods.

During the celebration of Komoeditsa, the Slavs started round dances. They organized bright farewells to winter. Of course, all kinds of treats were a mandatory attribute of the holiday: pancakes, ritual cookies - larks. In addition to dancing, games and fun, rituals were traditionally held on these days aimed at improving life and eliminating things that hinder good.

Rituals for Komoeditsa

Many Slavic holidays are associated with special rituals. Therefore, the celebration required several days. Komoeditsa lasts at least a week. The holiday begins a week before the equinox. The end of the holiday is on the day of the March solar break or a week after it.

During the time allotted for the festivities, the Slavs managed to spend the following traditional rituals:

Honoring relatives. This ritual pays tribute to the ancestors. The first pancake is given to the souls of the ancestors.

Second Calls of Spring. For this ceremony, special ritual cookies are baked. Birds are treated to cookies and shared with relatives, and special spring songs are sung.
Spring round dances. For the first spring round dances, which are traditionally organized on Komoeditsa, a hill is chosen. This is the place closest and most open to the sun.
Banishing Winter. This ritual involves holding winter games. For example, this could be “taking a snow fortress.” The game symbolizes victory over winter and opening the way for the coming of spring. The expulsion of winter is the most magnificent and vibrant rite! It is carried out either directly on the day of the equinox, or 7 days later (March 27). Traditionally, they burn a Maslenitsa doll, which represents the image of winter. Sometimes, the expulsion of winter is carried out by burning an ordinary fire made of thin twigs and straw.
Newlyweds are celebrated on Komoeditsa. Married couples who have been married for no more than one year are wished happiness, the birth of children, strong family ties, harmony, and prosperity.