Across the land Russians have been abandoning their diets to indulge in one of the nation's favourite pastimes – gorging on pancakes. And the reason? Sunday is the last day of Pancake Week, or Maslenitsa – a holiday with its roots

Celebrations have been taking place in Red Square, where lots of food and traditional crafts stalls have been set up. Also, a concert of folk and contemporary music was held.

A firework display was held staged symbolise the start of Lent.

Russia's Mardi Gras is the last chance to pig out before the Great Lent fast which lasts until Easter.

The week-long Maslenitsa is a time for merry-making and feasting, which includes eating pancakes topped with honey, jam or sour cream – all washed down with a nice cup of tea.   

The festival dates back to pagan times, originally a celebration of the equinox. It was then adopted by the Orthodox Church but banned during Soviet times.

Nowadays, it's more a good excuse for a celebration, although the old rituals remain.

One Muscovite told RT what it meant.

“It's a good chance to satisfy your stomach because it’s going to be the last time to enjoy a hearty meal before Lent.”

According to the pagan tradition, this is a sun festival that celebrates the end of winter.

The Maslenitsa mascot is a giant straw doll. In the evening at the end of pancake week it gets stripped of its winter wardrobe and set on fire, symbolising the coming of spring.

Time to ask for forgiveness

Meanwhile, Patriarch Aleksy II has led the Sunday morning Forgiveness liturgy in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

According to Orthodox tradition, the final Sunday of the week of Maslenitsa is a time to ask for forgiveness from God and from friends and family.

The liturgy precedes the final festive meal of the week, after which believers attend a special forgiveness service in the evening, when they take part in prayers for the observance of Lent. During the service members of the congregation ask each other for forgiveness for their sins.

Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Aleksy II, is due to hold the first Lenten service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on Monday night.