Apokreas - the Greek carnival celebration
This picture is from Nea Peramos, where the carnival parade is growing for every year. But the really huge and almost professional celebrations take place in the cities of Xanthi, here in northern Greece, and especially in Patras, on Peloponnese in southern Greece, where more than 300 000 people participate in the apokreas. The carnival tradition in Greece stretches back to pre-Christian times and the celebrations of the wine god Dionysus. The parties for him were taking place in the winter and early spring. The participants would wear masks and dance and sing. Actually, both comedy and tragedy as forms of art origin from these celebrations. Today, in many places in Greece, you can find elements from the ancient Dionysus celebrations in the carnival with participants dressing like the Satyrs or the half-god Pan.
Sarakosti - the Greek Orthodox LentDuring Lent, which lasts for forty days before Easter, Greek are not supposed to eat anything that comes from animals with blood in its veins. That means that the diet will consist of sea food like mussels, oysters, shrimps and kalamare, plus of course all kind of vegetables and lentils and beans. Egg and milk products are not allowed. Oil is to be used only on Wednesday and Friday.Today, few Greeks follow Lent strictly, though some might decide to cut our for instance only cheese or only meat. However, all restaurants, even the Greek fast food chains, will serve nistisimou fai, food for those who follow Lent.
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The apokreas, the Greek carnival, is a colorful feast taking place in Greece a Sunday at the end of winter every year. Apokreas actually means leave the meat and is celebrated on the last Sunday before Lent starts. The first day of Lent, the clean Monday, is also a feast in Greece. Traditionally people will go to the beaches or fields and send up kites and have a pick nick with sea food and a special flat bread baked for this day, lagana.
