Maslenitsa, or pancake week, is a cheerful religious holiday during which people in Belarus bid farewell to winter and celebrate the beginning of spring.
Women sing by a table during a celebration of the Maslenitsa festival in the village of Obchin, Lyuban District, Belarus, on March 1, 2020. The holiday celebrates the end of winter and marks the arrival of spring. /CFP
This old Slavic festival with its carnival-like atmosphere fell on Feb. 20 this year and lasts for one week. Each day of the holiday has different symbols and traditional rituals.
Monday is known as Welcoming Day. On this day, people welcome Lady Maslenitsa, who represents winter, by baking some blini, a traditional pancake, and making effigies of Lady Maslenitsa out of straw. The first blini is offered to the poor and the effigy is placed on the main street, where it will stay until the end of the holiday.
People carry an effigy of Lady Maslenitsa during a celebration of the Maslenitsa festival in the village of Obchin, Lyuban District, Belarus, on March 1, 2020. The holiday celebrates the end of winter and marks the arrival of spring. /CFP
Tuesday is Game Day, which is devoted to young people. Locals, especially young people, usually spend it outside playing games such as sleigh riding and sledding.
Wednesday is Sweet Day. People usually treat relatives and friends to pancakes and cakes. Traditionally, women invite their sons-in-law to their homes to try their homemade pancakes.
A woman takes part in the Maslenitsa celebrations held by the Belarusian State Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Lifestyle in the village of Ozertso on Feb. 29, 2020. /CFP
Thursday is Revelry Day. The effigy of Lady Maslenitsa is put on display as people carry her around while enjoying blini and outdoor activities including sledding, singing and dancing.
Friday is called Mothers-in-law Evening. This is for men to show their appreciation to their mothers-in-law by making some blini for them.
A woman swings as people celebrate the Maslenitsa festival in the village of Krevo, some 100km northwest of Minsk, on Feb. 17, 2018. /CFP
Saturday is called the Sisters-in-law Gathering. More family get-togethers are held on this day as newlywed wives invite their husband's relatives over and try to impress them with their cooking and housekeeping skills, as well as by showering them with gifts.
Sunday is Forgiveness Day. It's the time to seek each other's understanding for past deeds. This is generally considered the most important day of Maslenitsa, offering the biggest public celebrations. Maslenitsa Week wraps up on this day with the traditional burning of a straw effigy of Lady Maslenitsa, symbolizing the end of winter and the arrival of spring.