Posts filed under 'Russian Traditions'
Tea is popular in many countries and each country has own traditions and preferences in drinking of tea. Russia is the country where tea-drinking formed into individual tradition. History of Russian tea-drinking ceremony has began int 1638 when Russian Tsar Michael Fedorovich got special diplomatic gift from Altyun-Khan, ruler of Mongolia. Till that time Russians did not know anything about tea and used to soft drinks based on honey.
In Russia tea is served after meals and during mid-afternoon breaks, a kind of English “five-o’clock-tea” with difference that this Russian “five-o’clock-tea” may occur in any part of day and in any place - in office, in a car, in a park. When friends visit somebody hosts invite them to have a cup of tea. This “cup of tea” is not just a tea but a lots of cookies, sandwiches, other meal. Each feast ends with tea-drinking with candies and cakes. Having come to Russia from Ukraine when tea drinking traditions are not so strong and widely spread, especially in the country area, as in Russia, I was very surprised at the party of occasion of somebody’s birthday when after many shots of vodka when all guests were well drunk the mistress of the house served tea with a huge pie. I would prefer a glass of cold mineral water…
Till present time when bagged tea got popular in the world Russians still prefer tea prepared in old classical way when tea is put into a tea-pot and then poured with boiling water - nothing special but only this way can provide good taste of tea. Every family has several porcelain tea-pots of different sizes and different decoration. Tea-pots with plain decoration are used for everyday tea-drinking, more festive tea-pots are use for more ceremonial feasts. The most valued porcelain items are those made at Lomonosov Porcelain Factory ( you can read about history of this factory at the “History of Lomonosov Porcelain Factory (LFZ)” page) because of high quality of porcelain and decoration.
There are some rules to prepare good tea. They say that water should be boiled till “sparkling boiling” when first air bubbles appeared. Water should be soft, hard water with much salts is not good for tea. A tea-pot is heated a little bit with some hot water. Then tea is put into the tea-pot - 1 tea-spoon for each person plus 1 for tea-pot - classical recipe. After 3-4 minutes tea is ready. Some concentrated tea is pored into cup in accordance with preferences of a person, the rest of cup is filled with hot water. Russian seldom serve tea with milk or cream, they consider that milk change taste of the tea. Often, especially in past, tea is served in glass which are put into special glass holders which are made of metal - silver, bronze, so called German silver (special Cu-Ni-Zn alloy) and decorated with engraved pictures and enamel elements. Till this time tradition of serving of tea in such glasses with glass-holders in long-distance trains. Often tea is served with slices of lemon.
In past Russian tea party was quite pictures and colorful, that is why it became an often subject of painting on lacquer boxes, trays, porcelain pieces. Many different snacks were served during tea party. In past water was boiled in special devices - samovar. The samovar was the central symbol of the Russian tea ceremony. This is an unique invention that combines a kettle with heating chamber inside. Samovar became an essential element of each housekeeping. There were many different types of samovars - large for public restaurants, small and compact for travels, normal size for everyday use, brass for regular income families, silver and well decorated for rich families.
Besides different cakes and cookies all sorts of jams and confiture are served. Honey is most delicious addition to tea. Jam and honey are not put into cup or glass with tea but are served in a kind of bowl or special vase and then each participant of tea party put portion into personal little plate or bowl and then eats by a tea spoon. Often white bread or roll is offered, in this case loaves of bread are spread with jam or honey. Of course fresh butter is served - just in case to spread onto bread.
Many time I received questions like: “I have a friend who come from Russia. I want to make a special “Russian gift”. What would you advise?” The most universal “very Russian gift” is a gift related to tea ceremony - tea set, just a fine tea cup, good porcelain tea-pot, maybe collection of different teas. Such gift will be appropriate for any person with Russian roots.
March 21st, 2007
The history of Russian bath originates in old times.
From descriptions of Greece Herodotus, it is possible to find out that the Scythians that lived in Ukraine in ancient times used bath. They established three poles inclined by the top ends to each other, and covered them with felt. Then threw into the tub put in the middle of this hut the red-hot stones. They brought hempen seeds into this felt bath and threw them on the heated stones. Strong heat rose so, by words of Herodotus, “no one Hellenic bath could be compared to it, Scythians enjoying it yelled from pleasure. Scythian women pounded on a rough stone, adding waters, pieces of cypress, cedar and incense. They covered all body with this liquid paste with a pleasant smell and when washed it off and became clean and shone”.
German scientist Adam Oleary in XVII century wrote, “in Russia therewere no city, no village in which there would be no steam baths.Russian may bear extreme heat. Lying on shelves of the bath, orderto beat and rub their body with hot birch besoms that I could notbear in any way. After such heat Russians became red and are poured by cold water. In the winter, having jumped out of the bath, roll in snow, tinder their body as if soap, and then again enter into the hot bath. Such change of opposite actions favours to their health “. Probably from this description Russian saying came: “What is good for Russians to the Germans is death! “.
Peter the Great was an active admirer of Russian bath. When in 1703 St. Petersburg was based, he allowed for all interested persons to build baths and constructions were not undertaken any duties.
As a rule Russian bath is build of logs stacked against each other, gaps between which were calked with moss. Initially baths were heated “in a black way”, that is an oven was established directly in a steam room and the smoke left directly into the room.
Therefore walls in such bath were smoked. This way of heating was called “in black way”.
Construction of a Russian bath differed much from a Roman term. First of all Russian bath was always made of wood and has no possible luxury and excesses. All was subordinated only to one thing - to bring into a healthy state. Second, the bath had only two rooms - a waiting room in which people undressed and had a rest in breaks between calls in a steam room, and a steam room. Such baths were built without drawings - all was held in a head and art of construction of bath was handed down. The choice of the place for the bath was important for construction. Choice of the place appropriate for a bath was made with the same scrupulousness as a choice of th place for a church.
In opposite to Roman terms where there were rooms with various temperatures, in Russian bath gradualness of warming up was reached by making some shelves at different height. The higher shelf was in zone with the hotter temperature.
The steam room was heated up by means of an oven in which stones were stacked; from this fact the oven got name “Kamenka”. Various ways of heating of water were used. In olden time people just threw the heated stones into the barrels with water. Later pig-iron boilers were fixed into ovens and were used for heating of water. Water was heated up during all time while heating of the oven and the clouds of steam rising from boiling water shrouded all steam room.
A besom always was as the basic attribute of Russian bath. Bath never was held without it. There are a great variety of besoms: birch, oak and still it is a lot of others. Besom used in Russian bath is made of twigs with leaves and dried under special conditions when leaves stay green and do not peel off. Such besoms are prepared in summer time and are kept specially for bath. Just before using of a besom it is wetted in hot water and then is used for hitting of body. It improves circulation of blood and acts like massage.
March 20th, 2007
There are many feasts, which Russians like to celebrate. The main is the spring feast Easter. It is a light and kind feast brings belief, hope and love.
Approximately 5 thousand years back Judaic tribes celebrated this spring day as a feast of calving of cattle, and then Easter was connected with beginning of harvest, later - with leaving of Jews from Egypt. Christians have enclosed other sense of this day and celebrate it in connection with resurrection of Christ. The First Ecumenical council established day of commemorating of Easter in 325 year: the first Sunday after the first spring full moon. Then it was decided to transfer an orthodox feast for one week after Jewish.
The event of resurrection of Christ has taken place in the third day after death of Jesus, not earlier than the first hours after sabbatical day. Prophets and Jesus predicted it. This day there was a great earthquake; angel came down from heavens, threw away the stone from a door of a coffin and sat on it. When devout women among whom there was also Maria Magdalena came to pray at a coffin, the angel has announced about Resurrection of Lord.
When Jesus has appeared he was accepted as a gardener and when the Magdalene has recognized him, He ordered to go to apostles and to inform them that have come to pass both the death and Resurrection of Christ. Maria obeyed and has gone, and on road told to everyone about large joy of Resurrection of Christ. The Resurrection of the God’s Son defeated death of flesh and opened the way for spiritual life.
Easter for Christians is transition from death to eternally blessed life. Word Pasqua is Jewish one, it means passing with the Christ to other life, deliverance from death. In ordinary meaning, Easter is meant as sacred week of Resurrection of Christ during which, the Holy gates in churches remain open meaning that now Resurrection of Christ opened heaven for all.
The Quadragesima previous to Easter abruptly changes mode of life of religious Russians. In old times within first week of Fast any entertainments, theatrical representations and music were forbidden. Only public bathing houses operated. Nowadays only deeply believers follow these strict rules.
They say that Christ and apostles during forty days wander on earth in beggarly vestment. They test human mercy, award kind and punish greedy and malicious.
Last week of the Fast is called Holy Week. Eve of Hoy Week is called Palm Sunday, a holiday of Entrance of Lord to Jerusalem. In Orthodox temples during a liturgy consecration of twigs of willow take place - this is to remind about palm twigs with which the way of Savior to capital of Judea was covered. Everyone try to get some twigs to put them by icons till next “Willow Sunday”.
On eve of Easter people cook special dishes, they bake rich Easter cakes, make Easter cottage cheese cakes and paint eggs. Usually eggs are painted on Saturday, and then on Saturday are brought to the church to consecrate. There are a lot of different Easter cakes.
All paschal week people feast with rich meal with meat, eggs and other meal that were not allowed during 40 days Fast. Celebratory tables burst with many different dishes.
Egg is the main paschal symbol of resurrection as and egg brings new essence. There is an old Russian Easter tradition - in this day people greet each other with three times kisses and with words “Christ arise!” At paschal greeting and salutation believers give each other red eggs. This custom comes from old times. When Maria Magdalene came to emperor Tiberius, she brought him as a gift a red egg with salutation “Christ has arisen!” Red color ” is color of blood on the cross that Christ shed for atonement sins of the world.
In order to dye eggs it is possible to use fuchsine, onions peel, and bright scraps of silk. In different regions Paschal eggs has own ornament and manner of drawing.
For coloring eggs it is the best to use onion peel, which is gathered in advance. Depending on color of peel coloring of eggs vary from bright red to dark brown. If you want color to be more saturated take more peel and boil it about 30 minutes. To protect eggs from cracking during boiling add into water some salt. Do not place cold egg (from a fridge) into boiling water; let them to warm during half of hour.
There is way of painting eggs ” in a speck “. For this purpose wet eggs are crumbled in dry rice, then are wrapped in gauze (the ends of a gauze densely should be fastened by a thread in order rice stuck to the egg). Then eggs are boiled in a dying solution in usual way. In order painted eggs shone, they should be wiped dry and grease with sunflower oil.
March 20th, 2007
Russian Civil Ceremony
Russian church weddings are not considered official, and so couples wanting to get married must exchange their wedding vows at a Russian marriage civil ceremony. Here, the bride and groom receive bread and salt, symbolizing health, prosperity and long life.
The Russian civil ceremony is often considered unimportant to friends and relatives of the bride and groom. The main affair is the wedding reception, a great two day celebration with music, dancing, feasting and drinking.
Traditions at a Russian Wedding Reception
Once the reception celebration has begun, a relative or close friend will make a wedding toast to the bride and groom. In keeping with Russian custom, everyone throws their champagne glasses on the floor. It is considered good luck if the glasses break when they hit the ground.
Russian Orthodox Marriage Ceremony
When a traditional Orthodox couple get married in Russia, they are crowned as royalty for the day. The bride and groom must stand on a special carpet as they recite their marriage vows, but first they race each other to it. Whoever reaches the carpet first will, presumably, be the head of the household.
March 17th, 2007
