In Greece, Christianity is strongly intertwined with pagan rituals, which are especially evident in the tradition of celebrating such a holyday as Apokryes. The Russians are not far from the Greeks in this respect: every year we celebrate the Shrovetide festival, which existed in Russia even before the adoption of Christianity. Like many other pagan peoples, ancient Slavs and Greeks associated this holiday, first of all, with the farewell to winter and the meeting of spring.

Apokryes were known in ancient Greece and dedicated to Dionysus, the god of wine, and festivity. This god also symbolized the rebirth of the world after its winter “hibernation”. However, many centuries before, the peoples of the Mediterranean had similar spring festivals, accompanied by a masquerade and ecstatic dances performed to drive away evil spirits.

Of course, there is a parallel between Maslenitsa and Apokryes. These two holidays are very popular among the people. They are eagerly awaited by both the children and the adults. A feature of the celebration of Apokryes is a bright carnival procession. Probably, the word “carnival” causes a joyful feeling in everyone without exception. Imagination draws pictures of fun – colorful processions in amazing and bright costumes, fiery dances to loud and rhythmic music.

The Carnival gives an opportunity to forget the monotony of everyday life and plunge into a fairy world of joy and happiness. In this sense, Greek Apokryes can be called the best of ethnic carnivals. It takes place in many parts of Greece. Thus, in the towns of Xanthi, Naoussa, Serres, Thebes, in the cities of Patras, Rethymnon and on Chios, you can see the Apokryes in its primordial form. In Kefalonia, Sparta and Xanthi they arrange not only large-scale masquerades, but also chariot parades: a wonderful sight!

Greek Orthodoxy has modified the Apokryes feast, held as a mass festival, to a preparation for 40-day fast before Easter. The date of both archaic and modern festivals practically coincides, although every year the exact time of the festivities shifts a little depending on the date of feast that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Now the festival lasts three weeks, beginning usually in the second half of February. As a rule, the festivities come to end in the beginning of March – on Sunday before Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera), which is also the first day of fasting before Easter.

Apokryes literally means in Greek «saying goodbye to meat”. Interestingly, the Latin roots of the word “carnival” mean the same: carne ban in Latin. In many Greek villages the custom still lives: they cut a pig before a carnival to eat their fill before a long fasting.

The second week of Apokryes is the Meat Week, and it also has many traditions. Thursday is a special day in this week, called “Tsiknopemti” which means “Thursday, smelling of hot food.” On this day, everyone is frying meat. Everywhere there is a special smell and smoke which causes fat dripping from meat onto burning coal. Many people go to meat feasts in taverns where there is live music and often are dances.

In the third, so-called, “White Week”, meat is no longer eaten, but eggs, cheese, fish and dairy products are on the tables in abundance. In many villages there is living a strange tradition – during this week women do not wash their hair for seven days, fearing that the hair will turn gray. Sunday of Tyrofagis (it means “eaten cheese”) marks the end of the festivities. This is the last day for a church wedding, and then one can be married only after Easter. On Tyrofagis, people visit their parents, grandparents and kiss their elders’ hands, asking forgiveness.

The Lent comes on Clean Monday. Most Greeks spend this day in nature, arranging Lenten picnics. They eat mainly vegetables, “fava” dishes from peas and specially prepared salad from roe of cod – “taramаsalata”. One can also eat seafood, but fish and grape wine are not allowed. Sweet “halvas” is popular, a kind of halva, covered with chocolate or crushed walnut on top. There is also a tradition of launching paper kites into the sky because they are heralds of spring.

 

Carnivals

During Apokryes the main action remains the Carnival. There are towns where all inhabitants take part in festive processions. As a rule, they are held on weekends. The people, including children, dress up in ridiculous and sometimes outrageous costumes, put on masks or color their faces beyond recognition. They walk the street in such a way and visit their relatives, and acquaintances. Those, in turn, must guess the name of the mummer who came. Funny parties are thrown in taverns. The mummers rush into a hangout and begin comic shelling with serpentine and crackers.

In last days of the Carnival, as well as on Tsiknopemti, the most magnificent carnival parades take place. Rethymnon and Malia located on the island of Crete and Patras in the Peloponnese are especially famous for them. You will not find such an easy and fun holiday in Russia!

Not all carnivals have survived since ancient times; almost all have been forgotten for a long time because the Orthodox Church did not welcome such festivities. In the last century old traditions are being revived. So, the famous Carnival in Rethymnon appeared in its current form in the early 20^th century!

In Greece, there are some cities which are now centers of carnival holidays where it is customary to celebrate them on a special scale attracting many tens of thousands of tourists every year. Patras is considered the Carnival capital of Greece, and festivities begin, as a rule, in it earlier than in other places. Carnival in Rethymnon is considered the second most important in Greece, but it is not inferior in entertainment.

 

The spirit of Venice in Rethymnon

One of the most picturesque corners of Crete invites to join the colorful celebration in the days before the Great Lent. The festival in Rethymnon, in its scope, firmly occupies range 2 in Greece, and, according to the Venetian color and dedication of inhabitants during their preparations, it certainly has no equal. The Carnival in Venice and the one in Rethymnon are similar in many respects, not only because of the program, but also due to the specific architecture of the cities, adding an appropriate color to the event. The Cretan Carnival fits into the Venetian style of the city as harmoniously, as if it existed here since the reign of the Doges. Meanwhile, this Carnival is much younger and has only been held since 1914.

In the time of the Carnival, Rethymnon plunges into a state of three-week euphoria. Townspeople, forgetting about business, spend time in their favorite cafes and participate in festivities in the streets of the Old Town. A rich program allows you to choose events for every taste. Children are enthusiastically searching for “ancient treasures” and adults happy to dress ridiculous get-ups, and then join an extravagant night parade, do like mad folk dances, sing in chorus, and participate in various eccentricities. A “Kantada”, a 4-hour serenade, has a special place in the tradition of the Carnival, filling with its nostalgic notes Old Town.

According to tradition, on Sunday, the holiday is crowned in the center of the city with the Great Parade when several tens of thousands of participants pass through its streets. Carnival procession is seemingly endless. Thanks to a lengthy preparation, teams look as if it’s a daily activity for them to go through the carnival street. Everything is easy, fun and looks like all them have relationship. Not only young people participate in processions, but adults and serious people, and even babies.

Humor is at the carnival everywhere, from performers on the platforms to their audience in the street, communicating with them: they offer to their audience to dance, take pictures and even a drink! That applies to everyone, including the representatives of law and order. All the dancing teams go to the Old Town where bunch of booze flowing, music thunders near each tavern, masqueraders mix with the crowd and embrace guests and competitors. And that follows through to the night.

The Сarnival ends on the night before Clean Monday by the traditional burning of the stuffed Carnival King on the local beach, and then A DISCO-PATI BEGINS, LASTING TILL NEXT MORNING!

However, it will be too early to hide the masks after that. With the end of the main part of the Carnival in Rethymnon, a whole galaxy of smaller, but no less colorful events begins in the surrounding villages, and each of them will differ from the next one, offering its exclusive flavor for a fun pastime!

 

Guests wishing to visit the Carnival in any of the cities are advised to take care of the reservation of hotels and air tickets in advance, as it will not be easy to do it on the Carnival days.

It is easy to get to Rethymnon by bus or taxi from Heraklion and Chania, where planes fly regularly.

Look at the calendar of carnivals in Greece.

In 2018 Carnivals last from January 28 till February 18.

In 2019 Carnivals last from February 17 till March 10.

In 2020 Carnivals last from February 9 till March 1.