Carnival in Greece .... celebration ... a chance to escape everyday monotony and
enter into a world of party, fantasy, jinks and 'kefi' (high spirits) ... a feast of
dance, wine and meat before the sacrifices and fasting of Lent.
The Tradition of Apokries / Karnavali
(Apokries may also be spelt Apokreas, Apokrias)
In Greece the Carnival started in Ancient times, believed to be as a worship to
Dionysos, the God of Wine and Feast. In the Orthodox tradition Apokries is the
preparation period before Lent. Apokries means literally saying goodbye to meat
- Apoxh apo kreas - apo-kreas. In Latin the roots of the word Carnival has the
same meaning - 'carne' is meat and 'vale' goodbye.
Apokries runs for three weeks immediately preceding Lent.
In 2012 Apokries runs from Sunday 5 February to Sunday 26 February, while
Clean Monday ('Kathara Deftera' or 'Kathari Deftera') falls on Monday 27
February 2012.
First Week of Apokries - from Sunday 5 February 2012
Apokries starts with the opening of the book of the Triodion, the 3 holy
sacraments.
Second Week- Meat week
Officially the last week of eating meat until after Lent.
Tsiknopempti - Thursday of meat week.
Tsikna is the smell of burning meat. It was the custom on Tsikonpempti for
everyone (including the poor) to charcoal grill meat and to melt fat over it so the
smell of 'burning' meat permeated whole villages.
It is still the tradition to eat meat on Tsiknopempti, although nowadays it is usual
to go to a taverna for the meat feast. You'll find that tavernas everywhere are
packed and many have live music too. Another glendi!
Third Week - Cheese Week
This week was also called 'White Week' as people ate mostly dairy products
and eggs. Meat was forbidden from Monday of cheese week until after Lent.
Many people still adhere to this.
Women never washed their hair during this week as it was said it would turn
white if they did.
Tyrofagis Sunday - 26 February 2012
The majority of Carnival Parades are held on this day, the last day of
Apokries.
The final day of Apokries, and it's also the last day until after Easter that church
weddings are allowed to take place. The Orthodox Church still follows the
tradition that no weddings or celebrations can take place during the 50 days of
Lent.
The old tradition says don't get married on this day; if you do it will be an
unhappy marriage!
Carnival parades are held on this, the last day of Apokrias.
Clean Monday - 27 February 2012
The day after Tyrofagis Sunday is 'Kathara Deftera' , also called 'Kathari Deftera',
or Clean Monday, which falls on 27 February 2012.
Clean Monday marks the end of Apokries and is the first day of Lent (Sarakosti).
Fasting starts today and traditionally no meat, fish, eggs, dairy products or oil
are allowed to be eaten for the 49 days leading up to Easter.
Clean Monday is a Bank Holiday in Greece and also seen as the start of
springtime; it is celebrated by an excursion to the mountains or the beach to
enjoy a Lenten picnic or taverna meal, and fly a kite!
Masqueraders
(Pronounced 'mask - e - ra - des' in Greek)
During the three weeks of Apokries children, teenagers and adults alike dress up
in (often outrageous!) disguises and masks and visit the houses of friends and
neighbours who try to guess the identities of the masqueraders. The town and
village cafés, tavernas and bars are also visited by masqueraders, usually armed
with cans of foam, streamers and confetti.
Weekends, and the final carnival weekend in particular, are the most popular
periods for dressing-up and many masked balls, dances and children's parties
are held at various venues throughout the three week carnival period.
Apokries culminates with the Grand Carnival Parades, a number of which are held
throughout Crete and Greece, usually on the last Apokries weekend - Saturday
25th and Sunday 26th February in 2012.
Carnival Parade
Carnival Parades are held all over Crete and Greece, with the majority taking
place on the last Sunday of Apokries.
In Crete many towns and villages hold carnivals; the largest of which takes
place in Rethymnon on Sunday 26th February at 2pm. See www.rethymnon.com
Other Crete carnivals are normally held in:
Heraklion
Souda
Paleochora
Kalyves
Kastelli
Groups of friends get together to form teams, deciding on a theme for their floats
and costumes. These can take months to make and are generally used only
once, with originals produced each year. Prizes are sometimes awarded for the
best floats and costumes and there can be great ( friendly!) rivalry between
teams.
The largest and most famous Greek carnival of all is held in the town of Patras in
the Peleponnese on the Greek mainland.
See Also Easter in Crete & Greece and Bank Holiday Dates 2012 & 2013
enter into a world of party, fantasy, jinks and 'kefi' (high spirits) ... a feast of
dance, wine and meat before the sacrifices and fasting of Lent.
The Tradition of Apokries / Karnavali
(Apokries may also be spelt Apokreas, Apokrias)
In Greece the Carnival started in Ancient times, believed to be as a worship to
Dionysos, the God of Wine and Feast. In the Orthodox tradition Apokries is the
preparation period before Lent. Apokries means literally saying goodbye to meat
- Apoxh apo kreas - apo-kreas. In Latin the roots of the word Carnival has the
same meaning - 'carne' is meat and 'vale' goodbye.
Apokries runs for three weeks immediately preceding Lent.
In 2012 Apokries runs from Sunday 5 February to Sunday 26 February, while
Clean Monday ('Kathara Deftera' or 'Kathari Deftera') falls on Monday 27
February 2012.
First Week of Apokries - from Sunday 5 February 2012
Apokries starts with the opening of the book of the Triodion, the 3 holy
sacraments.
Second Week- Meat week
Officially the last week of eating meat until after Lent.
Tsiknopempti - Thursday of meat week.
Tsikna is the smell of burning meat. It was the custom on Tsikonpempti for
everyone (including the poor) to charcoal grill meat and to melt fat over it so the
smell of 'burning' meat permeated whole villages.
It is still the tradition to eat meat on Tsiknopempti, although nowadays it is usual
to go to a taverna for the meat feast. You'll find that tavernas everywhere are
packed and many have live music too. Another glendi!
Third Week - Cheese Week
This week was also called 'White Week' as people ate mostly dairy products
and eggs. Meat was forbidden from Monday of cheese week until after Lent.
Many people still adhere to this.
Women never washed their hair during this week as it was said it would turn
white if they did.
Tyrofagis Sunday - 26 February 2012
The majority of Carnival Parades are held on this day, the last day of
Apokries.
The final day of Apokries, and it's also the last day until after Easter that church
weddings are allowed to take place. The Orthodox Church still follows the
tradition that no weddings or celebrations can take place during the 50 days of
Lent.
The old tradition says don't get married on this day; if you do it will be an
unhappy marriage!
Carnival parades are held on this, the last day of Apokrias.
Clean Monday - 27 February 2012
The day after Tyrofagis Sunday is 'Kathara Deftera' , also called 'Kathari Deftera',
or Clean Monday, which falls on 27 February 2012.
Clean Monday marks the end of Apokries and is the first day of Lent (Sarakosti).
Fasting starts today and traditionally no meat, fish, eggs, dairy products or oil
are allowed to be eaten for the 49 days leading up to Easter.
Clean Monday is a Bank Holiday in Greece and also seen as the start of
springtime; it is celebrated by an excursion to the mountains or the beach to
enjoy a Lenten picnic or taverna meal, and fly a kite!
Masqueraders
(Pronounced 'mask - e - ra - des' in Greek)
During the three weeks of Apokries children, teenagers and adults alike dress up
in (often outrageous!) disguises and masks and visit the houses of friends and
neighbours who try to guess the identities of the masqueraders. The town and
village cafés, tavernas and bars are also visited by masqueraders, usually armed
with cans of foam, streamers and confetti.
Weekends, and the final carnival weekend in particular, are the most popular
periods for dressing-up and many masked balls, dances and children's parties
are held at various venues throughout the three week carnival period.
Apokries culminates with the Grand Carnival Parades, a number of which are held
throughout Crete and Greece, usually on the last Apokries weekend - Saturday
25th and Sunday 26th February in 2012.
Carnival Parade
Carnival Parades are held all over Crete and Greece, with the majority taking
place on the last Sunday of Apokries.
In Crete many towns and villages hold carnivals; the largest of which takes
place in Rethymnon on Sunday 26th February at 2pm. See www.rethymnon.com
Other Crete carnivals are normally held in:
Heraklion
Souda
Paleochora
Kalyves
Kastelli
Groups of friends get together to form teams, deciding on a theme for their floats
and costumes. These can take months to make and are generally used only
once, with originals produced each year. Prizes are sometimes awarded for the
best floats and costumes and there can be great ( friendly!) rivalry between
teams.
The largest and most famous Greek carnival of all is held in the town of Patras in
the Peleponnese on the Greek mainland.
See Also Easter in Crete & Greece and Bank Holiday Dates 2012 & 2013
| Copyright 2004-2012 Carol Palioudaki. Apokries, Apokrias, Apokreas Carnival in Greece. Living in Crete www.livingincrete.net |
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