First 7 Great lent days (Pervaya Sedmitsa)

The first Monday of Great Lent is called Clean (Chisty) and on Clean Monday everyone grieved for Maslenitsa that were accompanied by fisticuffs to shakle out all the blinis and by bania treatments.

A brick was put in a basin, sprinkled with mint and vinegar and the smell was around the bania and houses.

All the furniture was covered and paintings with frivolous meanings were hidden. From the Clean Monday everyone is supposed to wear old clothes and use old dishes. On no account you are not allowed to finish eating Maslenitsa treats. All the rest of food was given to pets.

From Tuesday old people keep lent by watching stars and by stars predicted the summer weather, bright stars, clean sky - dry summer, snow and flurry - rainy summer.

On Wednesday people listened to water, its sound told about storm rains, earthquakes or fires. If you could hear a man's voice in water babbing, that would be a good sign.

By Olga Timokhina