For those of you who are new to Greece, Apokries is the Carnival season leading up to Lent. It is thought to have its origins in the worship of Dionysus and pagan spring festivals concerning rebirth after winter. In the Orthodox Christian tradition it is the three week period before Lent, when we take our leave of meat. 'Apo kreas' literally means 'from meat' (the Western word 'carnival', - 'carni vale' - has the same etymology). Apokries, then, is the three-week blow-out before fasting begins in earnest.
On the Thursday in the second week of Apokries, the Greeks celebrate 'Tsiknopempti', a day when traditionally everybody grills meat and villages are full of smell of cooking, although today in Rhodes you are more likely to see people heading out to a taverna. One thing to watch out for around this time are egg or flour-throwing teenagers and students, a counterpart to British or American 'trick or treaters'. Thankfully for the rest of us their targets are usually their own teachers...
In the third, 'white', week of Apokries, only cheese, eggs and dairy products should be eaten. On the final 'Tyrofagis' Sunday carnival parades take place throughout Greece. The most famous of these takes place in Patras but they also occur in Athens and elsewhere. Many villages on Rhodes will have parades - watch out for 'blackening', people coming up and smearing your face with charcoal or boot-polish. Rhodes Town itself does not have a formal parade, but there will be events taking place in the Old Town and the English-speaking theatre group are usually involved.
The following day, 'Clean Monday', or 'Kathari Deftera', marks the start of Lent and is a bank holiday in Greece. No meat, fish, eggs, dairy products or oil are eaten, although shellfish is allowed and often forms the basis for the day's meal. It is traditionally a day for kite-flying (if you hear somebody up at the ancient stadium, muttering about 'not being able to get it up', it’s probably me!) and families will often drive out to the countryside with a picnic to enjoy the first flowers of spring.
Throughout Apokries, you will find adults, teenagers and children alike dressing up and 'masquerading', often accompanied with foam, streamers and confetti. There will be many fancy-dress balls and childrens' parties. One of the most atmospheric places to spend the final Apokries weekend is in the myriad small bars of the Old Town, which are packed with masked revellers. And of course the wearing of masks, as any superhero will tell you, confers anonymity, lessens inhibitions and allows a release from everyday conventions... So dress up as your favourite fantasy figure, go out on the town and who knows what might happen...
Apokries in 2009 starts on 7th of February. Tsiknopempti is on the 19th. Tyrofagis Sunday is on the 1st of March and Clean Monday on the 2nd. Happy Carnival!