Russians celebrate Maslenitsa

STORY: Russians celebrate Maslenitsa DATELINE: Feb. 27, 2023 LENGTH: 00:03:16 LOCATION: Moscow CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the celebration in St. Petersburg 2. various of the celebration in Vladivostok STORYLINE: People in various cities of Russia on Sunday celebrated the last day of Maslenitsa, a religious holiday marking the last week before Lent, which is the eighth week ahead of the Orthodox Easter. From food to music, games to contests, there's always something for everyone during Maslenitsa. The seven-day celebration is a paradise for lovers of pancakes, called bliny in Russia. The last Maslenitsa day should be the most fun. In Russia, people burn a scarecrow to symbolize the end of winter and to cleanse all their woes. They ask each other for forgiveness and begin preparing for the fasting which precedes Easter. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Moscow. (XHTV)