The preparations included cleaning of the house, dusting and cleaning of the furniture.

On Christmas day, people went to the church. After the service they received communion and they exchanged wishes and kisses.

Thereafter, they returned to their homes and the entire family sat on the table for the traditional soup “avgolemoni” (made with eggs, lemon and rice) or trachana, in a pleasant environment.

On New Year’s Day they played cards (Shemes, Poka, Poker) in coffee shops and in different houses. This custom survives to this day.

Epiphany
On the day of the epiphany, all the housewives made “loukoumades” (fried honey puffs) and ate them with their families. One old tradition said that “kalikantzaroi” (goblins) came to the village and roamed at night scaring the people. So, women threw some “loukoumades” on the roofs of their houses believing that “kalikanztaroi” would eat them and leave the village quietly.

Lent Period
The lent period begins on the Sunday of the Prodian Son and continues till the Sunday of “Tyrofagos” (last day of the Carnival).
Usually during this period, a lot of people masqueraded and went to friendly houses where they amused the owners.
They also gathered in coffee shops where they ate, sang and danced.

Easter
The days before Easter all the houses were cleaned out and on Holy Thursday the housewives painted the eggs (usually red), which they would clink after the Resurrection service.
On Holy Friday they prepared the rusks, the holy bread and the “flaounes” (pastry with cheese and raisins).

Palm Sunday
On Palm Sunday, women took leaves from olive trees to the church. The leaves would remain in the church until Pentecost when they would be hallowed and taken back home for the traditional “kapnisma” (literally smoking). Specifically, the leaves from the olive tree were put in the “kapnistiri” (earthen-plated vessel) with cinder and used for the “kapnisma” of the houses and people. This practice is considered as apostrophic for the evil spirits and it survives to this day.

On Holy Thursday, the holy icons of the church are covered with a black veil indicating the bereavement of the faithful. The same night, a replica of the holy cross with Christ on is set. On the right of the cross there is a replica of Apostle John and on the left another replica of Virgin Mary.

All the habitants of the village go to church and genuflect before the holy cross and attend to the service of the 12 gospels concerning the Passion of Christ, His Crucifixion and His death.

On Holy Friday the faithful decorates the epithaph. Young men and women chant the dirge (lamentation), while three myrrh-bearing women strew the epitaph with myrrh, aromas and flowers. During the night the procession of the epitaph takes place in the central roads of the village.

On Holy Saturday the bells toll merrily in order to invite the Christians to the happiest service of the Christian church.

Outside of the church there is a big fire, called “Lampratzia” (eastern bonfire). At midnight the priest says “ defte lavete fos ek tou anesperou fotos” (come forward and receive light from the eternal light) and comes out of the church with the lay clerks for the Procession. People light their candles from the holy light and they all go in the yard of the church for the Resurrection Ceremony.

After the service, people return to their homes, with their candles and keep the holy light for 40 days. They eat the traditional soup “avgolemoni” (made with eggs, lemon and rice) or trachana and flaounes. Then they clink their eggs saying “CHRISTOS ANESTI” “ALITHOS ANESTI” which mean, “Christ is risen” and “Truly he is risen”.

On Sunday, they make the traditional lamb on charcoals and they celebrate the day. In the afternoon, the Community Council organizes some events, including traditional games, such as “ligri”, “plaka”, “voskos” “zizirous”, “kouroupatsi”, “koutsia”, in the village’s plaza.

On Easter Monday, it is Saint George’s feast day and there is a celebrating mass in the chapel of the saint. The chapel is placed on the southwest of the community. It is one of the most celebrating days of the village.

TRADITIONAL WEDDING

“Proxenio” (match-making)
The matchmaker, a relative, or a close friend of the bride’s family made the “Proxenio”. A good groom was considered a man, who was rich, from a good family and diligent. If the groom came from another village, the parents of the bride went to his village and asked his fellow villagers for any information they wanted to learn about him or his family. Most of the times, the girl’s opinion was not taken into consideration.

Betrothal (“logiasma”)
Close relatives such as the groom and bride’s godparents, uncles and aunts, grandparents, brothers and sisters and the priest of the village were invited in the pre-engagement. The priest would prepare the prenup, which had legal validity. In the prenup the parents noted the marriage portion that they would give to their children. After the pre-engagement, there was a big party with plenty of food and songs.

Engagement
Only a few people were invited in the engagement. The father of the bride and the groom invited their friends while visiting their houses. They hold “mereha” (bottle where perfume was kept). During the engagement the relatives exchanged handkerchiefs and rings. If the parents of the bridegroom were rich, they gave to their children ground, animals, kitchen utensils and tools for agriculture works. In older times, the parents of the groom built the house of the couple but later the construction was a responsibility of the bride’s parents. The construction of the house was not an easy job as it was built with stones, which were collected and transferred usually by the close relatives and the builders.

Preparations for the wedding
The preparations started one month before the wedding day. The relatives of the couple used to wash the sheep fleece, which would be used for the “filling” of the bed. When they finished washing, the fleece remained in the sun until it was completely dry.

The invitations were given from the bridegroom’s parents with a special procedure. When they visited the houses to give the invitations, they offered to the owners a special kind of bread called “glistarka” and also wine from a special wine-jar called “kolotzi”.
On the wedding day they took the “kolotzi” to the church and after the wedding they offered wine to their guests. They also offered another kind of bread called “koumoulla”.

Saturday (before the wedding day)
On Saturday the relatives “sewed” the bed, which was filled with pure sheep’s wool. The bridegroom’s relatives put money on the bed (“plumisma”) as a gift for their wedding.

Thereafter, the groom’s closest friends and his best men danced holding on the same time the bed. When they finished their dance it was the bridesmaids turn to take it. Just before this dance, a young boy or girl was put on the bed of the bridegroom. People believed that if they put a boy on the bed, the first child of the new couple would be a boy and if they put a girl, then the couple would have a girl.

Sunday (wedding day)

Dressing of the bride
In the afternoon of the wedding day, the relatives of the bride were gathered in her parents’ house for the bride’s preparation. The bridesmaids helped her wear her wedding dress, put her make up and jewels and make her hair, accompanied by musicians who played violin and lute. Then, her parents passed along her waist a red belt and they gave their bless for a happy married life.

The shaving of the groom
The early morning of the wedding day, the groom’s clothes were transferred form his parents’ house to the new house of the couple.
The shaving of the groom took place in his parents’ house and it also included his dressing. The barber of the village, accompanied by violins, shaved him and his best friends combed him. The best man dressed him (shirt and costume), and in the meanwhile he sang with the other relatives, traditional wedding songs.

After the wedding and on the way to their new home, the couple was blessed by the neighbors who held “mereha” (bottle where they kept perfume) and “kapnistiri”. Later on, the couple stayed alone in their new home while the other relatives were celebrating.

Monday after the wedding
On Monday after the wedding day, the bridesmaid had to make some special pies (“pittes”) and grape honey and take them to the couple’s house. On the same day the bride should let free two white pigeons.

Tuesday after the wedding day or antigamos
On Tuesday after the wedding day the relatives took chicken from the fellow villagers, they butchered them, cooked them and ate them altogether during a big party.