
Every year, seven weeks before Easter and right after the Carnival Parade, Cretans, like all Greeks, celebrate "Kathara Deftera" (Clean Monday, also known as Pure Monday, Green Monday, or Ash Monday). This is a day of great spiritual significance and an important tradition that marks the beginning of Great Lent. Kathara Deftera is among the Greek national holidays, and as with the other religious festivals that precede the Christian Orthodox Easter, the date is variable and usually falls in late February or March.
It marks the end of the three-week carnival celebrations (Apokries), marked by excesses of pleasure and food, and calls on Christians to refrain from "sinful" habits. It is the beginning of the 48-day period of Lent, the longest and strictest in terms of food, known among Greeks as "Sarakosti" and ending on Resurrection Sunday.
For Kathara Deftera, local municipalities organize special events in all towns and villages where locals of all ages can enjoy traditional folk music, dance, and delicious vegetarian food. The day belongs to family, friends, and relatives, so if the weather is nice, most Greeks spend it outside, doing nature trips or picnics.
Spring is considered to begin with Kathara Deftera. Symbolizing the soul's attempt to reach the Divine, kites are also raised in the cheerful atmosphere. A symphony of bright colors fills the sky and landscapes with this beautiful custom. Children and parents compete to keep kites up in the air for longer and higher, making their dance in the wind a real delight for the eyes.
While keeping alive the Greek cultural and religious traditions inherited from generations past with its cheerful spirit and appetizing culinary specialties, Kathara Deftera offers the perfect reason for a nature getaway with family and friends.
The kites from Heraklion are featured in this artistic video!
Kali Sarakosti! / Have a blessed Lent!
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