Greeks around the country celebrated the Clean Monday holiday in traditional fashion, with outdoor activities including kite-flying and picnics, traditional Lenten foods, music, and dancing.
While many people left the city to spend the long weekend in the countryside, municipalities in Attica hosted festivities for those who remained, providing free food, entertainment, and, in some cases, free kites and kite workshops for children.
Filopappou Hill in downtown Athens was once again a popular destination for Athenians, with Athens Mayor Haris Doukas paying a visit earlier in the day.
According to Ekathimerini, nearly all the municipalities offered some outdoor musical event starting at 11 a.m. or noon, mostly of traditional or popular Greek music, as well as traditional dancing.
The highlight of Clean Monday is the famed Flour-throwing custom (Alevromoutzouromata, literally meaning “flour smearings”), which takes place on the day, and is unique to Galaxidi, when carnival-goers paint their faces with soot and colors and engage in flour-throwing battles.
The custom is thought to have originated in the Byzantine era, but others believe that Greek sailors discovered it on the shores of Sicily and brought it back to Galaxidi.
Source: Ekathimerini
