Shrovetide tradition known and loved by many of us since childhood. It appears from our Carnival and foreign carnival lot in common. You want to know what?
Here, finally, began Shrovetide. We will cook pancakes, visit each other's homes, to enjoy the fun socializing with family and plenty of dishes. Almost at the same time as the Slavic country meet the Pancake Day in many countries in Europe and South America are carnivals - bright and bustling holiday merriment.
Did you know that our Carnival and Carnival - this, at first glance, completely different holidays that born of the peoples with different traditions and moved through the centuries to the Orthodox and the Catholics, many common?
The peoples of different, but the idea in one of Carnival and Carnival - a symbolic farewell to winter, the release from a bad and old, hope for a new and better, and most importantly - Preparing for Lent. If Carnival - a pagan holiday, more than one millennium, the carnival in comparison with it, is young enough.
The first carnival held in Venice in the IX century. The world famous Venice Carnival attracts magical masks and amazing theatrical performances, millions of tourists. Today it is difficult to believe that the first carnival in Venice at carnival masks hiding the girls of easy behavior, and only after many years, people began to wear masks of different classes to be able to communicate with each other.
Followed by Italy, carnivals very quickly conquered almost all of Europe and is now popular in Germany, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Norway and the Baltic countries, and then came to America.
Who has not heard of the famous Brazilian carnival in Rio de Janeiro, where different competing samba schools? Incredibly, the participants of the carnival in Rio for a year specially prepared for the exit, sew costumes, invent the scenery, rehearsing dances. Carnival in Brazil - a bright fireworks colorful costumes, beautiful half-naked bodies and incendiary rhythms.
How and Mardi Gras, the carnival continues for a week, which is preceded by forty-day fast before Easter. The exact meaning of the name dispute under way holiday, but it is assumed that "Carnival" means something like "farewell to meat". Seven days going folk processions, theatrical costume, action, and most importantly - enjoy an abundance of food, fun, jokes. Just as Pancake accompanied by clowns, the protagonist of the European and South American carnivals - the clown who amuses people and directs the crowd.
Each Carnival is subordinate to a specific scenario, all the days have their symbolic value, and completes Fat Tuesday holiday week or Penitential day that we used to call Forgiveness Sunday. A day to truly forgive all the wrongs and sorrows, asking forgiveness of self and neighbor and liberate the heart for good.
Some peoples of the last day of the carnival known as Pancake Day. Yes, imagine, during carnival also bake pancakes! In England, in general, satisfied with the whole pancake competitions - marathons with pancakes, which the hostess with a frying pan in his hand on the run should flip the pancakes, so much so that they do not fall out of the pans.
As you can see, the two seemingly very different holidays were a lot in common, but the main thing that unites them - the ability to spend time with family and friends, get a charge of good mood and get rid of all the bad things and tune in to the good. Be happy!
And be sure to ask, which will certainly have to do all the women on the first day of Carnival and how to celebrate the week Oily seven days.
Photo to article from open sources
