Customs and habits

1st of September

It is called "harvest begin" - Prototriitia" because from this day on harvest time starts. It is supposed to be the first day of the year.

So very early in the morning the housewife will go to the well with a small jar to fill it with water and return home.

At the entrance of the house she will put down a pomegranate and step on it. Like this the opening for good luck is evidently expressed on the first day of the new year.

Before entering the house she will call out "good morning house". Following this, she steps into the house with the right foot first and pours the water in to the four corners of the house saying "as the water runs so good shall run into our house". Likewise it is possible to pour "holy water" which is kept all year especially for this moment.

The "Ampodiako" as this custom is called can be executed in this case with an icon and without the use of a pomegranate. This is probably a Christianization of the habit.

Also many times the walk to the well is omitted, instead the evening before a small jar is left outside with water for next day's "Ampodiako".

14th of September

This day the whole Orthodox Church celebrates the elevation of the holy Cross of Jesus Christ.

The cross is intended to be the light that will guide the life of the pious in the new year in order to make them able to restore the community, the world, in accordance with the vision of God's Kingdom.

As parallel the cross symbolizes martyrdom and mourning, this day the housewives will not prepare food at home but fast strictly during the day. They eat only grapes and a small amount of bread.

author
Kostas Suros

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