Green Monday

Today is a Bank Holiday in #Cyprus and is the beginning of Lent that culminates in the Orthodox Easter Sunday. It is known as Green Monday (Kathers Deftera) or Clean Monday, Pure Monday, Ash Monday, or Monday of Lent – and marks the end of the Carnival season.

On #GreenMonday, Christians fast from midnight to noon apart from abstaining from wine, meat, eggs, and dairy products. Devout Christians also dedicate a significant part of the day to reading the Bible. Traditional food eaten includes olives, octopus, and shrimp.

​A unique type of unleavened bread called ‘Lagana’ is prepared and baked only on Clean Monday. The bread is a reminder of God providing ‘Manna’ to the Children of Israel as he guided them through the desert to the Promised Land. But the most important event of all on Green Monday is kite flying - a traditional symbol of letting go and starting afresh.