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Celebrate Greece | Tradition

23-24/6
every year

Light my fire

An ancient Cretan custom sets
the night on fire. Ένα αρχαίο έθιμο
με κρητική προέλευση βάζει φωτιά
από άκρη σε άκρη στη χώρα.
by Vassia Antonopoulou

June 23rd, the eve of St. John’s Day.
Crete, just like many other regions around
Greece, is preparing for a feast, impatient
to introduce its heritage to the younger
generation with the re-enactment of the
custom of Klidonas. This custom dates
back to the days of Homer, when people
used the magic of Klidonas to foresee the
future. Nowadays, it is mostly romantic
affairs that are foreseen. In the meantime,
the worship of the sun on the day of the
summer solstice and the purification
from evil by leaping over the fire have
evolved into a great feast with drinking,
improvised mantinades songs, dancing
and lots of merriment. The ritual starts
with the unmarried girls gathering in one
of the village houses. One of them goes
to the well to bring the “silent water”; she
has to stay completely silent all the way WATCH THE VIDEO
back to the house. The water is then put
in a clay pot and, after each one of the girls
has thrown a small personal object in it,
also known as rizikari, the pot is covered
with a red cloth and placed under the
stars for the night. On that same night,
the girls shall see their future husband in
their dreams. At noon on St. John’s Day,

42 GREC14N 2018