Maslenitsa is one of Russia's best-loved religious/cultural festivals, and is the traditional pre-Lent festival in the Orthodox Christian calendar. Maslenitsa translates roughly as Butter Week, the aim being to consume as much buttery, rich food as possible before the Lenten fast begins. A typical Maslenitsa treat is pancakes (bliny) stuffed with caviar, honey and sour cream – washed down with an obligatory glass of vodka. In addition to the gluttony, the celebrations include mass snowball fights and the burning of the Lady Maslenitsa effigy, but the festival is generally about spending time with friends, lovers – this year it falls on Valentine's Day – and family. Moscow's Red Square is a good place to go for events and celebrations throughout the week.
