1. On Feb. 12, the start of maslenitsa, or Shrovetide, when it is customary to begin spring cleaning before Lent, Vita will collect unwanted furs during a noontime rally on Pushkin Square.

2. December‘s banquet is titled Georgiyevsky dinner, followed by a Tatyanin Den students day dinner in January, Prince Volkonsky‘s Shrovetide in February, a Russian Lenten degustation in March and finally Easter dinner in April.

3. The poem is due to be read on the ‘Today‘ programme on BBC Radio 4, tomorrow, by actor Geoffrey Streatfeild who is a member of the RSC acting ensemble, performing in the RSC‘s History plays, in Stratford–upon–Avon. ‘To the Queen‘ As the dial hand tells o‘er The same hours it had before, Still beginning in the ending, Circular account still lending, So, most mighty Queen we pray, Like the dial day by day You may lead the sessions on, That the babe which now is young And hath yet no use of tongue Many a Shrovetide here may bow To that empress I do now, That the children of these lords, Sitting at your council boards, May be grave and aged seen Of her that was their fathers‘ queen Once I wish this wish again, Heaven subscribe it with ‘Amen‘ Share this article: What is this?