…apparently. at least he will if you asked for forgiveness yesterday. this is because yesterday was the last day of mazlinitsa. mazlinitsa is like pancake day but spread over a whole week, and this is in a country where pancake day is already spread over the whole year, so you can imagine why some form of forgiveness might be called for. unsurprisingly, then, the last day of mazlinitsa is called forgiveness day. the idea is that you ask for forgiveness from everybody you know, whether you think you need to or not, because you never know whom you have accidentally slighted. when someone asks for forgiveness, you simply reply ‘god will forgive you’. and that is that.
it is all strangely touching – being absolved of an offence of which you are unaware – especially when combined with the mighty blini. the connection between the two seems fragile at first but it is all to do with renewal, as mazlinitsa is actually a festival to say goodbye to winter. blini are symbols of the sun, and of the warmth which is now so close. well, not that close actually. it is minus 34, as i write, and it is snowing and blowing a gale. not even the toughest parts of skegness would consider that summer weather, but still, it was minus 40 the day before so maybe the great pancake in the sky really is on its way. either way, i hope you can forgive me.
