Thursday is not going to be a banner day for vegetarians in Greece. The country is currently indulging in the great annual feast of barbecued meats as part of the celebrations for Tsiknopempti, one of the most important dates on the calendar in Greece, according to greekreporter.com.
Tsiknopempti, meaning literally “Smelly Thursday”, or even “Charred,” “Smoky,” or “Barbeque” Thursday, because of the smell of the grilled meat in the air, is a vital part of the traditional celebrations for Carnival season.
On this particular Thursday of each year, outdoor barbecues are set up everywhere and anywhere throughout the country: in neighborhood squares, church courtyards, and by the roadside, the result being that the smell of grilling meat pervades the air (the ‘tsikna’).
According to Greek Orthodox tradition, the people who await the forty-day fast before Easter and who observe the weekly Wednesday and Friday fasts, have this particular Thursday to eat as much meat as they desire.
This may actually be important for the maintenance of one’s health as well since there will be no meat or eggs, and very little fish, eaten during Lent.
The Tsiknopempti custom
The name “Tsiknopempti” originated from the fact that on that special day, in many places around Greece, people would melt the fat from pigs, while groups gathered in homes to barbecue meat.
The widespread smell of burning meat from any household which could afford meat led to the naming of the day “Tsiknopempti.”
The custom is said to originate as far back as the Bacchanalian feasts of the ancient Greeks and Romans, which survived with only a few changes until Christian times. The eating and drinking of this Thursday undoubtedly celebrate earthly pleasures, but now this is combined with having to fortify oneself before the rigorous Lenten fast.
In the older days, aside from barbecuing meat, the tradition also dictated dressing up and having some fun with your neighbors. In the villages, people walked around in groups from house to house, knocking on doors and asking for a treat and some wine, which was both consumed on the road.
The people who offered the wine and the treats also had to leave their homes, and join the group as it partied along.
The custom also included some “minor damage” to the outside of houses in the village, as the celebrants would knock down flower pots and spill the dirt. They would then smear their faces with the dirt and party on until the next morning.
Though “Tsiknopempti” has nowadays largely lost its religious dimension for most Greeks, the ritual remains strong and is widely marked by hordes of meat enthusiasts, families, couples, and friends.
Traditional Greek tavernas – those with paper tablecloths, copper wine jugs, and an overall down-to-earth atmosphere, become major draws on this day.
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