Lets go fly a kite
Green Monday in Cyprus is traditionally a day for family get togethers, bbq's picnics and I'm not sure why but kite flying seems to be a compulsory activity on the day too!
'Καθαρά Δευτέρα' (Kathara Deftera) Clean Monday, or Green Monday as it's more commonly known is a feast day which is always 7 weeks before the Orthodox Easter Sunday and marks the start of Lent. The 'Clean' comes from the idea of leaving behind 'sinful attitudes and non fasting foods..
Although I don't think I've ever seen a kite in the sky here on any other day of the year, without fail the skies are full of them every year on this day!
Leo has never had a kite before and for some reason thought it would be quite difficult to fly one. I did have a kite as a child but I don't remember flying it myself, in fact I don't think we had it very long as I seem to remember my Dad got it stuck in a tree!
He redeemed himself though by buying Leo his first kite and joining us in flying it.
Despite a few failed attempts and several crashes to the ground I think we did very well, even handing over the line to Leo was very successful.
'Καθαρά Δευτέρα' (Kathara Deftera) Clean Monday, or Green Monday as it's more commonly known is a feast day which is always 7 weeks before the Orthodox Easter Sunday and marks the start of Lent. The 'Clean' comes from the idea of leaving behind 'sinful attitudes and non fasting foods..
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A fun activity for the whole family to enjoy and it sounds like Leo did very well with his flying! Thanks for linking up and sharing your family fun with Country Kids.
ReplyDeleteWe love kite flying, so much fun! #CountryKids
ReplyDeleteBecause you have Clean Monday does that mean you don't have Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras?
ReplyDeleteYes, that's true. Even when the Western and Eastern calendar coincide, Eastern Great Lent starts on Clean Monday. Although much modified, this was the day of' Clean. Fasting' that is no olive oil was consumed, nor fish, meat, eggs, dairy. Shellfish is permitted- and throughout Great Lent- pulses, veg, fruit, olives. In Greece, commercial halvah is eaten, as that is from sesame oil, which like tahini is permitted. Interestingly, tarama, a fish roe is also eaten. Lagana, a flat type of pita, that was the first bread baked, while housewives waited for the bread dough to rise, is eaten on Clean Monday. It was a time for music and wine drinking, though the wine was probably not permitted in the monasteries. The Sunday before Kathara Deftera- Clean or Pure Monday- is called Tyrinis, which is the last day of Apokrees- Mardi Gras- but that whole week only dairy products and eggs are permitted. The previous week is Kreatines, Meat fare Week, with the final day of meat on that Sunday. The previous week, meat is even permitted on Wednesday and Friday, which for Eastern Christians are normally fast days- no meat, fish, and more strictly, dairy, eggs. Tsikno Pemti' Soot Thursday' is the bbq day.All this is Mardi Gras, which also goes back 2 more weeks. It coincides with a special church period calked the Triodium- 3 weeks before the start of Great Lent, where the hymns, and the bible readings, are those not of the day, but reflecting the period, including in the Vespers- Evensong- , Evening Vigil Service and the Matins- Orthos in Greek- the Morning Service before the Divine Liturgy( the Mass). Sometimes the Christmas hymns which go to Feb 2 - Candlemas, the Presentation of the Lord to the Great Temple if Jerusalem on His 40th day of Birth- run in to Triodion, the Mardi Gras period!
DeleteOf course, these dates, correspond to Pre Christian Festivals, esp around the 🌞, as Easter- Pascha corresponds to the moon and the Vernal Equinox.A bit TMI, but it fits in the cultural celebrations even for secular Greeks
yay to the successful kite flying Leo! whenever we try to fly a kite the wind always seems to well go away!! x
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