When will they celebrate in Greece? "Meat eater" and Clean Monday

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The countdown has begun to the next three-day weekend – Clean Monday, March 18, 19 and 20.

Total in 2024 4 such three-day days, all of which fall on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The first ones are on “Clean Monday” (Καθαρά Δευτέρα), the second – on March 25 (25η Μαρτίου), the third – on Holy Spirit Day (Αγίου Πνεύματος) and the fourth – on October 28, anniversary of “OHI” (28 Οκτωβρίου, επέτειο του “ΟΧΙ”).

This year, “Meat Eater” (Tsiknopempti, Τσικνοπέμπτη) falls on March 7th. Note that Tsiknopempti is not a public holiday, although the Greeks really love to celebrate it everywhere, in all cities and villages.

According to the Orthodox Greek “calendar” Τσικνοπέμπτη is meat, or “burnt” Thursday. And since we are talking not just about a “piece of meat” of meat products, but about meat baked on coals, with smoke, soot, with the aromatic smell of fried fat – cycnahence the name –cyclnopempty (pempti – Thursday).

On this day, everyone eats cold cuts, drinks wine, has fun, sings and dances. From this date the celebration enters its apogee carnival – analogous to Russian Maslenitsa. In the Orthodox tradition, Τσικνοπέμπτη is, as it were, a preparatory day before fasting – and means that “you can please yourselves to your heart’s content.”

Unlike Tsiknopemti, “Clean Monday” (Καθαρά Δευτέρα) is a public holiday and falls on March 18, the beginning of Lent.

Let us remind you that Easter will be celebrated on May 5 this year.

Calendar of public holidays in 2024:

• Maundy Thursday – March 18, 2024 – Monday.
• Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Greek Independence Day March 25, 2024 – Monday.
• Labor Day – May 1, 2024 – Wednesday.
• Good Friday – May 3, 2024.
• Easter – May 5, 2024 – Sunday.
• Easter Monday – May 6, 2024.
• Spiritual Day – June 24, 2024 – Monday.
• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – August 15, 2024 – Tuesday.
• NHI Day – October 28, 2024 – Monday.
• Christmas – December 25, 2024 – Wednesday.
• The second day of Christmas is December 26, 2024 – Tuesday.

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