Traditions in Greece & the islands

Customs as well as customs in Greece as well as the Greek Islands are a vital element of the Greek society. There are either of a religious personality or originating from paganism. Moreover, most of the practices and celebrations still commemorated today are religious.

The Greeks are very superstitious as well as believe a great deal in religion however likewise in superordinary or paranormal phenomenon. Customs as well as superstitions differ from island to island, from towns to villages and also from region to region.

You will discover listed below the many Greek traditions still honored in Greek modern society, regardless of individuals’s age, until today.

We offer listed below details concerning typical celebrations (Name day event, Interaction, Circus, Clean Monday, Easter, Greek Freedom Day, The Ohi Day) and also Superstitions (the Evil Eye (Mati), Spitting, Black pet cat, Hobgoblins, Tuesday the 13th, The expression Piase Kokkino).

Standard festivities.

Name day party.

A lot of Greeks are called after a spiritual saint. A very important tradition is that everybody who has a name coming from a saint commemorated by the church celebrates his name on a provided day of the year. On the “name day” of a person, his loved ones check out him without invite as well as deal wishes and little presents. The hostess of the house provides breads, desserts as well as starters to the guests. In Greece, name days are more important than birthdays.

Involvement.

It is a custom-made in Greece to obtain involved before obtaining wed. The man has to ask for the hand of the female from her daddy and also close family, while the two households offer presents to the couple. The couple exchanges wedding event rings that are worn on the left hand. After the wedding celebration, these rings will be worn on the right hand. In Greece, the engagement duration might last for many years as well as it is like a commitment to the family members. This custom-made is still vibrant in the Greek mainland and also the islands, while progressively it tends to vanish.

Circus.

In Greece, the Carnival is called “Apokries”. The festival includes two weeks of the feast, beginning from the Sunday of Meat Price and finishes with the very first day of the Lent, called Clean Monday (Kathari Deutera). Everyone is costumed and events occur in the streets as well as bars, tossing tinted confetti per other. The most famous Carnival Parade happens in the city of Patra. In many towns around Greece and in the islands, regional personalizeds restore. The Carnival is thought to come from paganism, and extra specifically from the old celebrations venerating Dionysus, the god of wine and feast.

Tidy Monday.

Tidy Monday or Lent Monday is the first day of the Lent (Saracosti) during which family members opt for an outing in the countryside and also fly kites.

Easter.

Easter is the most crucial event for the Greeks, even more than Xmas. On Good Thursday or Good Saturday, women color eggs in red as well as bake buns. On Excellent Friday, the day of grieving, the Epitaphios, the tomb of Christ with its symbol, decorated with flowers, is taken out of the church as well as carried around the village followed by a sluggish procession. After the procession go back to the church where the followers kiss the image of the Christ.

Throughout the evening of the Holy Saturday (Megalo Savato), everyone dresses well as well as goes to the church where an event is held. Prior to twelve o’clock at night, every one of the lights of the church are shut off, representing the darkness as well as quiet of the burial place, while the priest lights a candle from the Infinite Flame, sings the psalm Christos Anesti (implying Christ has increased) and uses the flame to light the candles of individuals. Everyone passes the flame one to one more. The bells sound constantly and individuals throw fireworks. The Excellent Saturday Supper occurs after twelve o’clock at night and also includes mayiritsa, tsoureki (Easter cake) and also red eggs. On Easter Sunday, the family roasts the lamb on the spit.

Greek Self-reliance Day.

The Greek Self-reliance Day is commemorating the affirmation of the Self-reliance War versus the Ottomans on March 25th, 1821. Besides a national event, now is additionally a spiritual celebration dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.

The Ohi Day.

On October 28th, the Greeks celebrate the day when the Greek tyrant Metaxas declined to allow the Italians attacked the nation throughout World War II. It is the party of the heroic OXI (NO): most Greeks placed a Greek flag on their home windows and also verandas, while a parade accompanies the engagement of school pupils as well as the military.

Superstitions

Greek superstitious notions are coming either from religious beliefs or paganism. They differ from area to area.