'''Cheesefare Week''', also known as ''Butterweek'Maslenitsa''' (Ма́сленица), '''Butter Week''', or '''Pancake week'''. It is celebrated during the seven-day period immediately preceding last week before [[Great Lent]]—that is, somewhat comparable the seventh week before [[Pascha]] (Easter). Cheesefare roughly corresponds to the Western Christian Carnival, except that Orthodox Lent begins on a Monday instead of a Wednesday, and the Orthodox date of Easter can differ greatly from the Western Christian date. In 2008, Cheesefare will be celebrated from [[March 2]] to [[Roman CatholicMarch 8]] tradition . Cheesefare is the last week before the onset of CarnivalGreat Lent. During Cheesefar week, meat is already forbidden to Orthodox Christians, making it a ''myasopustnaya nedelya'' (мясопустная неделя}, English "meat-empty week" or "meat-fast week"). During Lent, meat, fish, dairy products and eggs are forbidden. Furthermore, Lent also excludes parties, secular music, dancing and other distractions from the spiritual life. Thus, Cheesefare represents the last chance to partake of dairy products and those social activities that are not appropriate during the weekmore prayerful, sober and introspective Lenten season. ==Russian Traditions== The most characteristic element of Cheesefare in Russian tradition is [[w:bliny|bliny]] (Russian pancakes). Round and golden, they are made from the rich foods still allowed by the Orthodox Christiantradition: butter, eggs, and milk. Cheesefare also includes masquerades, snowball fights, sledding, riding on swings and plenty of sleigh rides. In some regions, each day of Cheesefare had its traditional activity: one day for sleigh-riding, another for the sons-in-law to visit their parents-in-law, another day for visiting the godparents, etc. The mascot of the celebration is usually a brightly dressed straw effigy of Lady Maslenitsa, formerly known as [[W:kostroma (tradition)|Kostroma]]. As the culmination of the celebration, on Sunday evening, Lady Maslenitsa is stripped of her finery and put to the flames of a bonfire. Any remaining blintzes are also thrown on the fire, and Lady Maslenitsa's partake especially ashes are buried in the snow (to "fertilize the crops"). During [[W:Soviet Union|Soviet]] times Maslenitsa, like all the other religious holidays, was suppressed. After Perestroika the celebrations resumed. Many countries with a significant number of Russian immigrants consider Maslenitsa a suitable occasion to celebrate Russian culture, although the celebrations are usually reduced to one day and may not coincide with the exact date of the religious celebrations. ==Liturgical Significance== Religiously, the beginning of foods that will soon be forbidden Great Lent is traditionally tied to them the beginning of Spring, an association found in the ''[[Triodion]]'' (containing hymns for the next eight weeks Lenten season). The ancient hymns refer to the "Lenten Spring," a natural link because of the time of year during which Lent and always occurs in the [[temperate]] regions of the [[Holy WeekNorthern Hemisphere]]. These foods include all animal products (except meatThe church services during this week are very similar to those served during Great Lent itself, though they are shorter. This is also the first time the fast from which begins [[Prayer of Saint Ephrem]] is said and the [[Divine Liturgy]] is forbidden on Wednesday and Friday (as it is on every weekday of Great Lent). ==Sunday of Forgiveness==The last day before of Cheesefare Weekis called "Forgiveness Sunday", Meatfare indicating the desire for God's forgiveness that lies at the heart of Great Lent. At [[Vespers]] on Sunday)evening, including butterall the people ask forgiveness of one another, eggsand thus Great Lent begins. Another name for Forgiveness Sunday is "Cheesefare Sunday, cream" because for devout Orthodox Christians, milk, cheese, and other it is the last day on which dairy productsmay be consumed until Pascha. Also included are Fish, wine (all alcohol) , and oil (or solely olive oil)will also be forbidden on most days of Great Lent. The day following Cheesefare Sunday is called [[Clean Monday]], because everyone has confessed their sins, asked forgiveness, which are only allowed on Saturdays and Sundays during begun Great Lentwith a clean slate.{{stub}}==External links==*[[w:Maslenitsa|Wikipedia: Maslenitsa]]*[http://www.maslenitsa.com/english/ Site devoted to Maslenitsa]*[http://www.sras.org/maslenitsa_blin Article describing Maslenitsa, with Blini recipe]*[http://www.scn.org/arts/russfolk/maslenitsa.htm Margaret McKibben ''Maslenitsa'']