Russians Torch ‘Flaming Gothic’ in Ancient Maslenitsa Ritual
Russians this week celebrated Maslenitsa, a Slavic folk festival with pagan roots, which marks the beginning of Lent.
In a tiny village in the Kaluga region 150 kilometers southwest of Moscow, a traditional bonfire was lit on Saturday in the Nikola-Lenivets Art Park.
Instead of burning an effigy of a scarecrow, festival organizers departed from tradition by torching a wooden cathedral.