Sophi and I hopped on Tram #2 and went to our local Maslenitsa celebration.
It was held not far from our district’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
It was held not far from our district’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
A fitting place for this holiday which is part religious, part pagan.
Maslinitsa is the celebration of the SUN! - the party at the end of winter and the beginning of Spring.
It is the last week before Orthodox Lent.
Meat is already forbidden during this week, but milk products are still allowed.
And so, blini, like little ‘suns,” yellow with butter, are eaten in huge quantities.
Meat is already forbidden during this week, but milk products are still allowed.
And so, blini, like little ‘suns,” yellow with butter, are eaten in huge quantities.
She is the symbol of winter,
of cold and snow and ice,
of all our hardships,
of our cold hard hearts - toward God and toward each other.
And so, we say “Good-bye!” to all she has been . . .
and, with her ashes, we will plant the seeds of Spring.
and, with her ashes, we will plant the seeds of Spring.
I have to admit, it was a little scary for Sophia. She asked me several times why the doll was being burned up.
The deep “narodni”/ folk wisdom was a little beyond my almost 4 yr old.
On our way home, as we waited for our Tram #2, we played “Hide and Seek” - “Peek-A-Boo” style.
“Here I am, MOM! Do you see me?”
Finally, our tram came.
Quiet and warm. . .
gently rocking back and forth on iron rails . . .
holding on to her precious balloon. . .
which burst as soon as we walked in our apartment door.
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