Czech Easter: Masopust

“Masopust” – let go of meat

Let’s talk a little bit about “Masopust” not just Easter tradition in the Czech Republic. Brazil for example has a big Carnival to celebrate in February. Although the ”Masopust”  is not a church holiday, it is still a little influenced by the liturgy. This is the time that precedes the Lenten season of Easter.

Meaning of the word “Masopust” (Let go of meat)

Folk carnival is the festive period between Christmas and Easter Lent time. As the Czech name suggests: “Masopust” is based on the meaning of the words leaving the meat.

The celebration begins after the Three Kings, on January 7, but the end is moving, as it closes in relation to Easter. It ends a day before Ash Wednesday when the forty-day period of fasting begins. Even the whole time can be a different length of celebrations, the main celebrations took place for a total of 3 days – from Sunday to Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. That Tuesday would be the main party – so-called “masquerades”, Lots of carnival games and in the evening folk music and dancing. People also wear folk costumes related to each village in Moravia, part of the Czech Republic. Each village has a different way of decorating its folk costumes

During the time of “Masopust”, (from the end of Christmas to Ash Wednesday), Some villages would set a date and host balls for people to gather and visit with people from other villages while having fun on Saturday night. 

Families who raised a pig, set a date to slaughter the pig which is an all-day family gathering with a professional butcher attending. All the meat is packed into the freezer and fed to the family for the next 6 or more months.

The timeline:

Start of “Masopust”

The preparation for the carnival used to be the Thursday before the carnival Sunday, called “Fat Thursday”. On this day one should eat and drink as much as possible to be strong all year round. 

“Masopust” Sunday 

The main party would begin on “Carnival Sunday”.  Lunch would be like a feast that day, but it didn’t take long as many would be getting ready to go to the pub together in the evening with friends and dance to folk music. Sometimes the gathering took place right on the square and the dance often lasted until the morning. 

Monday right after Masopustni Sunday was also full of fun and dancing. Many villages were hosting a “male ball,” where only married couples were allowed to attend.

‘Masopust” Tuesday 

The finale of the carnival was Tuesday. On that day, masquerade parades passed through the villages, and theater play was performed by children from local schools. Masks did not have binding rules; they depended on the creativity of people who decided to make their own masks.

The procession was to go around the whole village house by house. Musicians were part of the group and played during the procession, singing, and dancing during the visits. The masquerades were always treated to donuts, pastries, or meat, and they also received shots of alcohol or beer to drink. In addition. The paths between houses of lovers were marked with sand paths, hearts were painted on the gates.

However, there were also several traditional masks that appeared every year. 

That evening before Ash Wednesday the tradition of “burying of bass” happened, which symbolizes that music and celebrating is over, and is time to get ready for lent.

End of the “Masopust”

Ash Wednesday 

The carnival party ended almost everywhere at exactly midnight on Tuesday. Then the midnight trumpet blew the horn, and the mayor would call on everyone to leave home in peace because it was Ash Wednesday and the pre-Easter fast had started. People did believe that if they danced at midnight over the carnival, the devil would appear among them, often as a stranger in a green cloak. The next day (on Ash Wednesday) Lunch was already strictly fasting, which was usually lentils with an egg, cheese, bread, boiled semolina, baked potatoes.

On Ash Wednesday, people went to the church for ashes – across, which they received from the priest with ashes consecrated to the forehead. The forty-day Lent Period began on this day, with well-defined Lenten Sundays, of which there are 6 in total, each with its own liturgical name. 

Masks: 

Masks had many meanings. Traditional masks appeared every year. Often these were animal motives, especially animals with a special trait or strength (horse-strength, bear – fertility) were chosen.

• Old horse or Giraffe
• Old grandma – carrying a basket on her back.
• Turkish man – with a high hat, white gloves, scarf, and riding boots.
• Bride – oftentimes man dressed as a woman. 
• Death – has scary paintings on his face, caring a sickle.
• Craftsmen
• Musician
• Bear
• Lion
• Chimney sweeper – checking furnaces for any forgotten goodies

I hope you enjoyed reading about traditions from different countries. It sure is nice to learn what other people do for different traditions. I have more about Easter Traditions in the Czech Republic. You can learn what “Pomlazka” is and why we need it for Easter Monday. Read more here.

Also, read more about Easter in the Czech Republic here or Kristyna Koutna made really nice video about Easter. You can visit Kristyna’s blog here.

Zdroj: www.zahratka.cz