When Russia became a Christian country, Maslenitsa was fitted to the Orthodox calendar and coincided with the Lenten period. It was accompanied by a week of church services known as Syrnaya sedmitsa or ‘Cheese Week’. Whilst the church did away with many of Maslenitsa’s more unruly activities, the festival still retained many of its features. After all, at the root of this joyful holiday lay a respect for nature, the veneration of ancestors, marriage and forgiveness - something that both religions shared. The tsars positively encouraged the festivities, and under Ivan the Terrible, Maslenitsa was celebrated for two weeks!
