Festivals and celebrationsEuropeSecular and civic
Meteņi
A Latvian pre-Lenten festival marking the turn of time and welcoming spring.
Meteņi is a traditional Latvian holiday observed in late winter. It serves as a period of waiting for spring and concludes on Ash Wednesday. The celebration involves feasting, gift-giving, and rituals to drive away the cold season.
When is Meteņi marked?
Meteņi is kept as part of Ash Wednesday, which is on Wednesday, 10 February 2027.
Meteņi marks the ancient Latvian transition from winter to spring. This seasonal holiday ends with Ash Wednesday, preparing communities for the Lenten period. People gather to feast, exchange gifts, and perform rituals that honor the changing year and invite a fruitful summer ahead.
Origins and meaning
The name derives from the old Latvian word meti, which signifies a turning point or measure of time. This concept survives in modern terms like laikmets, meaning era. Related Baltic languages preserve similar roots, such as the Lithuanian metai for year. Historically, this period aligned with mid-February celebrations of the new year by Indo-European ancestors. The timing reflects a deep connection to natural cycles and the anticipation of warmer months.
Regional names
Different cultures recognize this seasonal shift under various titles. In Livonian areas and Riga, it appears as Fastelavn. Other Latvian local names include Lastavāgs and Aizgavēnis. Neighboring nations have their own versions: Lithuania uses užgavėnės, Estonia calls it vastlapäev, and Russian Orthodox communities observe Maslenitsa. Across Europe, similar festivities align with carnival seasons, Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, often featuring masquerades and public merriment.
Customs and rituals
Families celebrate by consuming abundant food and drink. Traditional meals feature pig's head and fritters, reflecting the slaughter of livestock during winter. Parents toss gifts to children from upper floors, symbolizing blessings from Laima, the goddess of fate. Communities burn straw figures and old Jāņi wreaths to banish winter. Bonfires are lit while participants tie a witch's tongue, a ritual meant to ensure a bountiful harvest when summer arrives.
How Meteņi is kept
People prepare special foods like pork dishes and pancakes. Families give presents to younger members. Communities light fires and burn symbolic items to welcome spring. Children visit neighbors with songs and treats. The festivities last until Ash Wednesday, blending older pagan customs with Christian calendar markers.
When and where
It falls in February or early March. The date shifts each year but always concludes on Ash Wednesday, seven weeks before Easter Sunday.
The tradition is strongest in Latvia. It also appears in neighboring Baltic and Eastern European regions with shared cultural histories.
What Meteņi means
The holiday represents the end of winter and the promise of renewal. Burning straw and logs symbolizes driving away darkness and cold. Feasting honors the resources saved through the harsh season. Rituals aim to secure fertility and good fortune for the upcoming agricultural cycle.
Days Meteņi is marked
Questions people ask about Meteņi
When is Meteņi marked?
Meteņi is kept as part of Ash Wednesday, which is on Wednesday, 10 February 2027.
What is Meteņi?
Meteņi is a Latvian seasonal holiday that marks the transition from winter to spring. It involves feasting, gift-giving, and rituals to welcome the new year and ensure a good harvest.
What do people eat?
Traditional foods include pig's head and fritters. These dishes reflect the practice of slaughtering animals during the winter months and using preserved meats for celebration.
See also
Christmas EveThe evening before Christmas, marked by church services, family meals, and gift preparations across Christian cultures.JaanipäevAn Estonian midsummer festival marking the shortest night with bonfires, songs and independence memories.
MaslenitsaA seven-day Eastern Slavic festival of pancakes and bonfires marking the end of winter before Lent.
Kupala NightA summer solstice folk festival marked by bonfires, water rituals and herbal gatherings across Eastern Europe.Good reading and sources
- Meteņi on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Meteņi", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryParampara rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.
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