Greece - Carnival

By the word Carnival – Latin in origin, the corresponding Greek word being apókreo or 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, or abstinence from meat (Apo-kreo = away from meat). In the same way the word “Carnival” is made up from the words carne = meat and vale = take leave of.

Carnival is essentially the period leading up to Lent and the preparation for the biggest holiday of Christianity, Easter. It allows people to have some fun before Lent starts on Ash Monday. During Lent Christians fast to mentally and physically prepare themselves to participate in the Passion of Christ during Holy Week.

The roots of the Carnival customs can be traced back to antiquity. They are related to the celebrations in honour of the god Dionysus, where enthusiasm, gaiety and banter prevailed. When Christianity became the dominant religion, elements of ancient Greek worship were incorporated into the customs and traditions pertaining to the period before Lent.

Since the 19th century, Carnival starts on the Sunday of Teloni and Fariséou and ends on Shrovetide Sunday. In the past, the festive atmosphere was created by groups of masqueraded people who at night roamed the streets and the neighbourhoods, singing ribald and satirical songs. However, with the passage of time, standardised celebrations with fancy costumes and floats organised by the local communities prevailed to a larger or smaller extent, to the detriment of the older, more spontaneous celebrations.

However, carnival is closely related to the cultural heritage of each region and in many parts of the country substantial efforts have been made in recent years to revive traditional carnival customs. Dominant elements in these customs are the phallus symbols and satire, which centres on local events or focuses on current Greek and international issues.

The most important carnival in Greece is held in Patras. The carnival festivities start each year on the 17th of January and end on the last Sunday of Carnival with the burning at the stake of the King of Carnival and a big parade of floats and costumed groups.