Festivals and traditions on Kefalonia

FESTIVALS, PUBLIC HOLIDAYS & TRADITIONS OF KEFALONIA

Folklore as we know it today changes from one period in time to another often dependent on historical events, some ruling invaders or 'landlords' often left more of a mark than others. Because of the long occupation of the Venetians these more than most influenced more than any other, with perhaps a little addition here and there of the British rule.

Because of the connection with the other Ionian islands the dialect and customs created in these region have been called 'Eptanesian traditions'. The seven island traditions. Therefore you may find customs, dialect, songs, religious festivities, art and literature not dissimilar to other neighbouring islands. For instance the saying below can be found with slight alterations on most if not all the Ionian islands.

"I’m leaving with a fond farewell
my poor Kefalonia ( Ithaki - Zakynthos - Corfu, etc.)
taking with me only my body
since my mind is left behind".

CHRISTMAS

This is the time of year which is now becoming as popular with the Greeks as with Europeans alike. Children and local groups and bands sing and play carols. Decorations illuminated not only the houses but also the towns and villages each with their own nativity scene and Christmas tree. The wild strawberry trees and bushes 'Arbutus undo' are laden with bright red fruit. This sweet crimson berry is today used for making jam and liquor. It is also the custom of the Kefalonians to decorate their homes with branches of the arbutus and myrtle trees at Christmas time. In the home housewives bake the 'Christmas bread', decorated with almonds and walnuts in the sign of the cross. This special bread is now baked and sold commercially or can be bought from the local baker. The 'Christopsomo', Christ's bread, was traditionally, years ago, held over the embers of the fire by the head of the family who would then trickle olive oil over the bread saying 'Christ is born the light grows stronger'. Each member of the family would be given a piece and in turn would distribute what was left to the family's animals, as a memento and contribution for the rest the donkey once provided for Mary on her journey to Bethlehem and the warmth the sheep, goats, cows and other animals gave to Christ at his birth in and around the stable. In the Greek Orthodox tradition the 'dodekaimeron', the twelve days of Christmas, is full of religious and cultural significance. Christmas day is celebrated as a separate festival, then 26th December which is regarded as the 1st day of Christmas and the church honours the Mother of Jesus ('Synaxis' of the most Holy Theotokos), along with Jesus, referred to in the Greek religion as Emmanuel. The 27th, the second day of Christmas, and the church celebrates Saint Steven. On the 4th day, December 29th, the church has a service to remember the babies that were slaughtered by King Herod in his attempt to kill the baby Jesus.

NEW YEAR

On New Year's Eve, the 6th day of Christmas, in the major towns on the island, especially Argostoli and Lixouri, the youngsters bid farewell to the old year by playing practical jokes on each other some mostly spraying each other with perfume, whilst in some areas it is flour. Local bands play and choirs continue to sing traditional songs One old custom that dates back to antiquity and is still upheld today, everyone takes a stroll out into the countryside on 31st December to dig up an 'askinokara' referred to as the 'St Basil's (Father Christmas) plant' this is commonly known as the sea squill, a bulbous plant that looks similar to a large onion with large, green leaves. This plant is hung over the front door of the house to bring good luck, health and protection to the home and its occupants during the forthcoming New Year. Another common custom, and a good excuse for the children not to get told off, is the breaking of a pomegranate by smashing it on to the ground in front of the main door of the house thus exposing the seeds. It was and still is believed that the amount of seeds visible on the ground are the amount of wishes that will be granted. This is also the one night of the year that is admissible by the church to gamble. At midnight you hear shouts of 'Xronia Polla' an all purpose word used to wish everyone well on many occasions. Then the merriment begins eating, drinking, dancing and a well earned visit to a bouzouki club. 1st January, the 7th day of Christmas, and the feast of Saint Basil with the church celebrating the circumcision of Jesus. New year cake 'Vassilopita' is sliced (an old Byzantine custom) the person who finds the coin that has been placed inside is traditionally the New Year's lucky person. In some households New Year's gifts are also exchanged.

EPIPHANY 6th JANUARY

On the The Eve of Epiphany, the 11th day of Christmas, known as 'the day of the Holy Water', is when the priest of the village goes into his parish consecrating and blessing all his parishioners and their homes. For this he uses an 'ayiastoura' a twig or piece of wood in the shape of a cone covered with rosemary and narcissi and often a carnation and a container of the blessed Holy Water. Superstition and not religion suggests that in this way it is hoped that the 'naughty elves' as they are known throughout Greece will then disappear. These mischievous lost little souls (thought to be those of past infants who were not baptised) known on Kefalonia as 'pagana' have been on earth for 12 days since Christmas Night. They come down the chimneys of the houses and cause havoc, any food that has mysteriously disappeared over the festivities had, of course, been devoured by these devilish little mites who have to be banished back to the underworld.

This is also the time when the main entrance to all of the churches is decorated with an arch combined with myrtle, a symbol of eternal love, peace and honour, and palm leaves, symbolising the victory of Christ over death. On this day, Epiphany or Theofania, the 12th day of Christmas, there is a national holiday in commemoration of the baptism of Christ in the Jordan river by John the Baptist,. After the morning service here on Kefalonia, the Bishop throws a cross, attached by cord, into the sea on the harbour beside the Thrapano Bridge and opposite the Church of Sissiotissa in Argostoli, and young men dive into the cold waters to retrieve it. In the countryside, farmers bless the gardens, fields, orchards and the animals. The 13th day of Christmas, January 7th, is also celebrated as Saint John the Baptist's Day.

CARNIVAL TIME

The Carnival in Kefalonian has a long and rich tradition and is a very special celebration for everyone. Young and old enjoy these mardi-gras with songs, dance and of course costumes and masks, these of course used to resemble the Venetian styles, but of course into days modern world you have the usual monsters and presidents of the United States! People wander from taverna to cafι bars and the main streets at night playing practical jokes on those who prefer a more quieter time. On the last day of the Carnival, a parade takes place with a competition for the best costume and the most impressive float presentation. The dancers’ costumes are weird and wonderful. The men wear white ‘skirts’, white gloves and a tall paper headdress with pretty little bells on. There are silk ribbons on their skirts and they hang heavy gold jewellery around their necks, chains and brooches. Their 'female partners' are usually young boys or very short men wearing disguises. Everyone of course wears masks. Carnival dances have been passed down through the generations and include ancient quadrilles, polkas and old Greek folk dances. It is amusing to watch the 'babaoulia', which are comic turns performed by young people in costumes.

CLEAN MONDAY

The fortieth day before Easter, Clean Monday or Shrove Monday and lent begins, this day is spent in the country with an ample supply of food and wine necessary for the high spirits and included in these traditions is the flying of kites.

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE VIRGIN MARY 25th MARCH

On all religious festivals and feast days, special bread is baked and richly decorated with flowers is brought to the church to be blessed. On 'the day of the Annunciation', the loaves are covered in fragrant spring flowers, mainly freesias, violets and stock. As they leave church, everyone is given a little bunch of flowers to take home with them.

Easter

On Palm Sunday churches which have painstakingly been decorated by the ladies of the parish with sweet-smelling leaves and petals. Small crosses of palm are shaped and bound together by locals, and are a symbol of triumph over death, with branches of olive the peace plant. On Good Friday it is moving to join in the procession which follows the 'Epitaphion' this represent where Christ laid before his entombment, it is carried in a candle lit procession around the villages. Saturday morning, bay leaves are scattered over the church floor, symbolizing the glory and victory of Christ over death. At midnight, the Resurrection is celebrated with fireworks and bangers set alight. It is customary for everyone to take their candle home with them, doing their best not to let it go out on the way, bringing home the Resurrection light, a good blessing for the coming year.

Easter 'paska' is the most celebrated and important festival for Greeks. Celebrated after lent with the roasting of lambs and goats the eating of the red-dyed eggs, that have been prepared with special seaweed that when boiled turns red and represents the blood of Christ in a lot of areas small delicate flowers and leaves are placed next to the eggs in a muslin before being boil leaving an intricate design on the shell. Easter bread 'lambropsomo', is bake normally on Maundy Thursday and is decorated with an egg in the centre.

MAY DAY

This day also known as labour day, is celebrated with flowers and home made multicoloured wreaths hanging on the outside of houses and flowers placed on the windscreens of cars. This ancient custom of the celebration of spring is world wide but on Kefalonia according to tradition, a garlic is placed into the flowers to protect the house from bad luck and ward off ill fortune and the evil eye.

ASCENSION DAY

Celebrated forty days after Easter and is usually during May. Services are held all over the island with picnics or barbecues and dancing after the evening services. Visits to churches and graveyards or silent pray all in remembrance of family and friends who have departed.

15th AUGUST 'PANAYIA'

All churches named after the Virgin Mary have celebrations. In the church of Panayia of Langouvartha the Madonna lilies bloom again from dried stems these flowers and this miracle has always been a symbol of purity and associated with the Virgin Mary. Celebrations are held all over Kefalonia and in fact is the reason that St Yerasimos celebrations are held over a longer period of time. Simply because Panayia clashes with the death of the Saint on the 15th. Albeit it is celebrated on the 16th of August.

SAINT YERASIMOS 16th AUGUST

Saint Yerasimos is the patron saint of Kefalonia, he lived in the 16th century. Pilgrims come from all over the worked to celebrate the anniversary of his death at the monastery he helm restore in the Omala Valley. An all night vigil takes place on the night of the 15th with a procession and parade which includes government officials and visiting dignitaries. This runs from the monastery along the avenue of trees to one magnificent plane tree on the site of the holy well. The Saint personally is said to have built this well and planted the plane tree beside it. It is customary for people to take a leaf from the tree in remembrance of their saint.

CELEBRATION OF THE HOLY CROSS

The 14th September is the day in all churches around the island the Cross with be richly decorated with basil. 'Basilico' means 'belonging to the king' after the services all the parishioners are given a bunch of basil to take home. This plant is grown in and around most gardens and verandahs. Valued for its sweet aroma and green leaves. There are two kinds the small leaf variety and the larger which is normally used in cooking. The worship of the holy cross comes from Helen the mother of Constantine the Great, who was the first Christian emperor, his mother who allegedly found the true Cross of Christ in Palestine and intern became a Saint herself.

SAINT YERASIMOS 20th OCTOBER

On this day another very similar celebration takes place, this time in remembrance of the day that the Saints body was exhumed and found to be miraculously intact.

DATES & VENUES OF MAJOR RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL EVENTS


Most of Greece's 'panigyria' or religious festivals are held in honour of a saint. They begin the evening before with most continuing through the ensuing day or weeks. Some are just the religious rituals whilst others, enjoy after the church services feasting, folk dancing and music begin close by. Visitors are always made more than welcome, given below are some of the most visited villages on these occasions and by no means is meant to be discriminative to other villages or churches of the same name.
DATE	VILLAGE - CHURCH	CELEBRATION
1st - JANUARY	St Basil - Keramies	The Feast of Saint Basil. New years cake is sliced and shared at amongst the congregation at midnight to celebrate New Year.
6th - JANUARY	Sissiotissa Church - Argostoli	Epiphany (Theofania) The Baptism of Christ. After the morning ceremony a procession across the Thrapano bridge where the Holy Cross is immersed in the sea by the Bishop and young men dive into the cold waters to retrieve it.
FEBRUARY - MARCH	Argostoli Parade Lixouri Parade Lassi-Svoronata Livatho-Skala Poros-Lixouri	Carnivals on the Sundays 1 Month before Lent, and the first Monday of Lent. Clean Monday is celebrated with the flying of kites and picnics with traditional food for fasting and dancing.
25th - MARCH	The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary - Faraklata Parade in Argostoli main square	After the evening service on March 24th, traditional food and dancing at the feast. Independence Day celebration of the 1821 Revolution.
DATES CHANGE YEARLY	SERVICES ALL OVER THE ISLAND	THE GREEK ORTHODOX HOLY WEEK OF EASTER
TUESDAY	Sissiotissa Church - Argostoli	After evening prayers the Choir of Kefalonia sing the 9th century Byzantine Kassiane's Anthem
THURSDAY	Churches all other the island	Service of the Passion
GOOD FRIDAY	Cathedral - Argostoli	After the evening service, the Epitaphios is carried in a candlelit procession. Escorted by local dignitaries and the Kefalonia band - from the Cathedral along the harbour, passing through the main square then back to the Cathedral.
EASTER SATURDAY & SUNDAY	Church of the Archangels - Argostoli	Midnight service and candlelight procession to the main square. At midnight, fireworks and bangers set off.
MONDAY	St Paraskevi - Faraklata Prophet Elias -Razata St George Church - Davgata	After the morning service Easter celebration with barbecue and dancing. Evening service with feast and dancing afterwards.
TUESDAY	Monastery of Themeton - Ayia Efimia The Virgin Mary - Kourouklata	Full days feast and dancing after the morning service. Feast after the evening service.
FRIDAY	Ayios Andreas Monastery - Peratata Life receiving Fountain - Arginia	Procession and meal at the monastery. Service above Arginia
SUNDAY AFTER EASTER	Sissia Monastery - Simotata - Kastro	12 k Procession of the icon to the Church of The Annunciation at Kastro icon of the Virgin Mary remains for 3 weeks.
FOUR WEEKS AFTER EASTER	Church of The Annunciation - Kastro - Simotata	Procession back to Sissia Monastery with picnics and dancing outside the old monastery.
40 DAYS AFTER EASTER	Church of the Ascension - Svoronata	Ascension Day barbecue and dancing.
50 DAYS AFTER EASTER	Penecost Church - Trapezaki	Evening service and barbecue.
1st MAY	May Day celebrated all over the island	Picnics and flowers
21st MAY	St Constantine and St Helen - Karavathos Saint Spyridon Church - Argostoli Parades - Argostoli	Evening service on 20th May feast and dancing. Service followed by the parade through the main square. To celebrate the union of the Ionian Island with Greece.
8th JUNE	Public Holiday	Ayios Pnefmatos Day. Holy Spirit
19th JUNE	Public Holiday	Pentecost
END OF JUNE-JULY	Port Argostoli	Navy Week. Celebrations and parades, laying of wreaths at all Cenotaphs.
2nd JULY	The Virgin Mary 'Diotissa' Church - Dias Island	Celebrations on the beach of Paliolinos, below Koriana.
11th JULY	St Efimia Church - Ayia Efimia	Evening service night before with feasting and dancing.
15th JULY	Argostoli	2 weeks of Theatre festivals.
17th JULY	St Marina Church - Vlahata	After morning service feast and dancing.
20th JULY	The Church of the Prophet Elias - Razata Prophet Elias - Frangata	Evening service on 19th July barbecue and dancing. As above.
25th JULY	St Anna - Lakithra	Evening service on 24th July with feat signing and dancing.
26th JULY	St Paraskevi - Troianata	Evening service the night before barbecue and dancing.
27th JULY	St Panteleimon Church - Poulata St Panteleimon Church - Kontogourata	Evening service the night before feasting and dancing. As above.
1st - 31st AUGUST	Argostoli	International Choral Festival and other cultural events.
6th AUGUST	Sotiros Church - Kaligata - Ayia Efimia - Travliata	Evening service on 5th August feast and singing.
15th AUGUST	The Virgin Mary Church - Markopoulo Church of the Virgin Mary - Haliotata Lady Day festivities - Lixouri	Assumption of the Holy Virgin a major religious holiday and celebrations after the evening service on 14th August.
16th AUGUST	St Yerasimos Monastery - Omala Valley - Skala 40 wells Valsamata	Weekend vigil - Celebrations, stalls and feasting for a number of days. Robola Wine Festival barbecues and dancing.
1st SUNDAY AFTER 16th AUGUST	Village of Frangata	Robola Wine Festival barbecues and dancing.
23rd AUGUST	The Dormition of the Virgin Mary - Demoutsandata Monastery of Kechrionas - Lixouri Monastery of Argrillion - Sami	Morning service and procession. Service and feast. As Above
29th AUGUST	Saint Johns Day - Ratzakli	Service and celebrations.
1st - 15th SEPTEMBER	Lixouri	Choral Festival.
8th SEPTEMBER	Atros Monastery - Poros Erisos Monastery - Messovounia Birth of the Virgin Mary - Dilinata - Fiskado	Evening service 7th September feasting and dancing after evening and service on the 8th As above, As above.
14th SEPTEMBER	Monastery of the Holy Cross Kipouria Estavromenos Monastery - Pessada	Stavromenos. The Day of the Holy Cross. Evening service on 13th barbecue and dancing. As above
24th SEPTEMBER	The Virgin Mary of Thrapano - Argostoli	Procession to St Spyridon church in Argostoli.
26th SEPTEMBER	St John The Evangelist Church - Sarlata	Evening service on 25th September, feasting and dancing.
1st OCTOBER	St Spyridon - Argostoli	Procession by to the Virgin Mary of Thrapano Church.
20th OCTOBER	St Yerasimos Monastery - Omala Valley	Morning service with procession to Holy Well accompanied by the band of Argostoli and visiting dignitaries.
28th OCTOBER	Parades - Argostoli	National Celebration of 1940. Ohi Day.
30th NOVEMBER	Monastery of St Andrew - Peretata	Morning service and procession.
4th DECEMBER	St Barbara's Church - Prokopata	Evening service on 3rd December it is a custom to give and receive cakes made by the ladies of the congregation.
25th DECEMBER	Midnight Service all over the island	Feasting and celebrations all over the island
31st DECEMBER	Lithostroto - Argostoli	Carol Service with choir of Kefalonia and bands.