Saturday, February 13, 2010

Greek customs

Snapshots by:
Maria
Μαρία
Writes from Thessaloniki, Greece
View her website: Βραδυνες Kουβεντουλες

This weekend takes place the Greek Carnival, the great end of ‘Apokria’ and a lot of people dress up in costume and participates to the celebrations with big Carnival parades. Special celebrations of parades, festivals and or parties take place all over in Greece. These traditional parties may go back to the celebrations of Dionysous, in Ancient Greece. (Pictures taken from the city center of Salonica, Greece).

By the word Carnival (Greek word being Apokria) we mean the three-week period before Ash Monday when it is the custom to masquerade. Literally “Apokria” means to say goodbye to the period of meat-eating. Carnival is essentially the period leading up to Lent and the preparation for the biggest holiday of Christianity, Easter which is celebrated in Greece with luminance.

After the last weekend of Apokria, known as cheese week many Greeks begin their fasting on Clean Monday, which is a day for spending time with friends and family, going to the countryside and flying kites.

Γράφει η
Μαρία
Από τη Θεσσαλονίκη
Δείτε το ιστολόγιο της: Βραδυνες Kουβεντουλες
Και κει που καθόμουνα στο σαλόνι του σπιτιού μου ,στη ζεστούλαβρέθηκα με τον γιο μου με την παρέα του στην Πλατεία Αριστοτέλους...
Το τι επικρατεί στους δρόμους αυτές τις μέρες δεν λέγεται... φαίνεται! Δεν το πίστευα αυτό που έβλεπα και φωτογράφιζα συνέχεια...

Παιδιά καλά περάσαμε και του χρόνου με υγεία.

16 comments:

Jani said...

Hi,my fried!Happy Valentine"S day!!!Hyvää ystävnpäivää sinulle!T:JANI&KATA FROM FINLAND!

Unknown said...

I didn't realize you celebrated Carnival in Greece!! Too fun. Loved this post!

Happy Valentine's Day to you and your wife!

Rajesh said...

The snaps of carnival are beautiful. Lovely customs.

Jeannette StG said...

Maybe I'm confused...is the carnival to celebrate the beginning of Lent?

These pics are happy...in contrast what my hubby told me about Greece today is that the country is bancrupt. He did not hear how that came to be -that is a very sobering situation -hope it will soon go better with the economic situation there:) HAve a happy Valentine's Day (if you celebrate it:) ).

Magia da Inês said...

Olá, amigo!
Passei para conhecer mais um pouquinho do mundo...
Uma ótima semana!
Bom Carnaval!
Só alegria!...
Beijinhos.
Itabira - Brasil

Shanti said...

Beautiful celebration. I didn't know that. Looks so funny :)

Have a special Valentine's Day

Hugs,
Shanti

Unspoken said...

Love the music with the shots!

jf said...

Μες το έθιμο είναι κι ο ξεβράκω[λ]ος μασκαράς?
Μάλλον έχω χάσει πολλά επεισόδια, Φοίβο...
Καλή Σαρακοστή!

evelina said...

Θεσ/νίκη είναιμία και μοναδική Πολύ ωραίες οι φωτό της Μαρίας...Καλή σαρακοστή

Laura Neulat said...

I have really enjoyed reading and learning about the Greek Carnival!

Το blog της Θεσσαλονικιας. said...

Φοιβο εκανες παλι το θαυμα σου.Καλη Σαρακοστη...

Το blog της Θεσσαλονικιας. said...

Φοιβο το e-mail moy xalazia@hotmail.com

Phivos Nicolaides said...

On behalf of my good friend Maria from Thessaloniki I thank you ALL for your kind words. EFHARISTO!

Marize Camara said...

Olá Felipe, boa noite!

Que bacana ficou essa postagem, parabéns!

Culturas e costumes diferenciados de País para País, porém, o carnaval, seja lá de que forma, traz alegria e felicidade para os povos. Quem derá se todos brincassem e levassem a vida com mais alegria, trazendo dentro de si um carnaval contínuo, não somente por 3 dias.

Felipe, obrigada pelo comentário que deixaste no meu Blog, vc é muito gentil.

Canção linda que estou ouvindo ao acessar o Blog, pena que não entendo a letra, mas, o ritmo gostoso ao ouvir.

Felipe, fique com Deus e muito obrigada por sua visita!

Beijos,

Marize

Chry said...

SALVE LE FOTO DEL CARNEVALE SONO BELLISSIME! COMPLIMENTI! BUONA GIORNATA CHRY

Phivos Nicolaides said...

@ Marize Camara. Olá Marize.
O carnaval, independentemente da forma, traz alegria e felicidade para as pessoas. Beijos, Felipe

@ Chry. Buon giornomio caro amica. Il carnevale, a prescindere dal modo, porta gioia e felicità alla gente.Ciao. Baci. Felipe