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History & Culture
What is Clean Monday in Greece? Where can I go in Greece to celebrate Clean Monday? What is the history of Clean Monday? In this article, we tell you about the meaning about the national holiday of Clean Monday, the start of the Easter Lent period, and how to celebrate Clean Monday in Greece.
Carnival Season in Greece
The carnival season is in full swing in Greece in February and March, with plenty of dance, music, and celebrations taking place ahead of the Easter Lent period.
Superheroes, masked villains, and colorful costumes of all types can be seen on the streets with festivities peaking this upcoming three-day weekend. The carnival season is known as “Apokries”, which literally means saying goodbye to meat. The final day of the Carnival is always on Monday. It is known as Clean Monday, a day that marks the start of Lent and is a public holiday in the country.
What Happens on Clean Monday in Greece?
Every year on Clean Monday, many take to parks and outdoor areas to go picnicking and fill the Greek skies with colourful kites.
Kite Flying on Clean Monday
Releasing a kite in the air is said to symbolize the freeing of the body from sin, while others see it as representing the passing of the human soul to heaven and God. Whatever the symbolism, kite flying is a lot of fun on a day that often provides the ideal windy conditions.
Even first-timers can take part, as many of the lighter kites sold at stores and by street vendors can easily take to the skies.
Although traditional wooden kites are now less common and it is easier to find plastic kites, there are still traditional kite makers in Greece.
Food on Clean Monday
The day is also a treat for the taste buds. On Clean Monday, meat isn’t on the menu, and people instead consume a lot of olives, seafood—in particular, shrimp, octopus - taramosalata, and halva. These are typical foods that Orthodox Greeks eat during the Easter Lent period.
Taramosalata
This is a traditional dip that is made from cured fish eggs and mixed with oil and bread crumbs. It is usually spread on “lagana,” a special unleavened flatbread which is baked only before Clean Monday. The history of lagana goes back to the Old Testament.
Halva
Halva is another famous dessert in Greece. Although it seems confusing, there are three desserts in Greece with the name halva. The most popular kind is the halva with tahini (sesame paste), sugar, and honey. Some other kinds feature nuts or raisins.
Second, semolina halva includes semolina, vegetable oil, and simple syrup. Finally, the least common version of halva is made in the Farsala area of Thessaly, near Meteora. This version is made with vegetable oil, sugar, corn flour, and almonds, and it resembles a jelly.
Easter in Greece
After Clean Monday comes the Lenten period before Easter. One of the most practised traditions of Greek Easter is the fast leading up to the holiday. The period of Lent begins seven weeks before Easter and traditionally is a time of self-denial and spiritual reflection.
Many Greeks choose to give up meat, dairy, and other animal products during this time and instead follow a fasting diet. The fasting period culminates in the Holy Week, which has beautiful church services during the week and leads up to the Easter celebration.
Easter is the most important holiday of the year in Greece, and it marks the resurrection of Christ for Orthodox Christians in Greece. It is always a big celebration, whether you are an Orthodox Christian or not. In Greek, it is called “Pascha,” and it usually happens in late April or early May. Greece has many special and unique Easter traditions.
What Calendar is Used to Decide the Orthodox Easter?
In Greece, Easter is based on the Julian calendar. The Julian calendar was created by the Roman emperor Julius Caesar and is based on how long it takes for the Sun to go around the Earth. The Julian Calendar was made in 45 BC and was used until 1582 AD. So, the Julian Calendar was used when the Orthodox Church was first created.
In most other areas of the world, the Gregorian Calendar is used. This is why the Catholic Church celebrates Easter on a different day than the Orthodox Church. The Gregorian Calendar was created by Pope Gregory in 1582, and it fixed some of the problems of the Julian Calendar, which was slightly less accurate.
When is Easter in 2025?
In 2025, Orthodox Easter is on Sunday, April 20th. Catholic Easter falls on the same day this year. The last time this happened was in 2017, and the next time it will happen is in 2036.
