Ancient Slavic holiday Carnival has come down to us in a distorted form dominated his entertainment area, with dances, bonfires, pancakes and permanent invitations to the guests. Even the Orthodox Church now considers the carnival is not a pagan holiday, and its Orthodox and treats it as preparation for a long lent. It happened with many holidays, but carnival is the most striking example. It is known that until the 17th century this old, truly national holiday of spring and the origin of life was an attempt to stop and persecuted those who celebrated it openly. It is clear that their plan to eradicate the "devilish fun" came to nothing, and the people defended their right to have fun in the last days of winter. Since the 18th century the Church has ceased to pay such close attention to the holiday, and demonstrative celebrations kings only strengthened pancake day in the life of the Russian people, though distorted the essence of what is happening. From the second half of the 18th century Church of "adapted" carnival for their own purposes and did not forbid the laity to participate in the General bacchanalia, imposing certain restrictions on the composition of the products fit for food these days, and the strict "rules" of prayers. Each of the seven (and until the 17th century fourteen) days of the carnival had its name.By the early 20th century all the names mixed up - the ancient, religious, folk, and now the Carnival is a celebration of the coming of spring, cheerful, carefree, with abundant food and most importantly - pancakes. Pancakes on Shrove Tuesday became the Central dish, its symbol. As in ancient times, pancakes in the human mind symbolize the sun. Only in the distant pre-Christian times, our ancestors worshiped the sun God Yarily, and was preparing pancakes in gratitude Yarily for light and warmth.The name Carnival went with the celebration of spring, that is, 1 March 21-23 March 15-16), the beginning of the new year. At this time Tellis cows, and they had a lot of milk, and then in the house was enough butter. The word oil initially sounded like Mazal, that is what smear shit. Mazal or oil in this case was a symbol of wealth, the new rich and full year. Pancakes on Shrove Tuesday also was earthly reflection of the sun. Damn how small the sun is round and hot. Grease a pancake oil - so bring a gift to the sun, to appease him. Just as in our days, the first half of January, Russia surrenders unto the feast, and in ancient times our ancestors scope celebrated the New year, in early spring. Hence the burning of effigies of winter, dances, bonfires, and other echoes of the pagan past. There is a version that pancake day celebration in ancient times was in honor of the God Veles - the patron Saint of cattle.Ну как то так
