Greek Cypriots make green start to 50 day Lenten fast

GREEK Cypriots rose early yesterday and hurried to buy round loaves of crusty bread and freshly picked vegetables for the feast of "Green" or "Clean" Monday, which marks the start of the 50 day Lenten fast.

Families flooded out of the cities and towns to picnic beneath blossoming almond trees or on grassy hillsides bedecked with delicate yellow and white spring flowers. Three and sometimes four generations, usually with an elderly grandma (yaya) conspicuous in her black attire, settled near the road on blankets and folding canvas chairs.

The custom of picnicking on the green is called "cutting the nose of

"Green" is the traditional spread of green salad, long narrow lettuces and spring onions, and cucumbers. Along with the "greens", there are tomatoes, radishes, bread, olives and pickled vegetables. There are dips of chickpea paste and sesame cream and artichokes cut in quarters and eaten raw with a squeeze of lemon.

For dessert, thick skinned Jaffa oranges, honey and marmalade, and crumbly cakes of almond halva, all washed down with plenty of red wine and brandy.

Driving is dangerous on "Green" Monday.

In recent years vegetarian stews and pilaf have also crept on to the menu. However, no one breaks the ban on meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, which remains in place for the entire Lenten period.

Today many Greek Cypriot only fast on "Green" Monday and during the "Holy Week" preceding Easter, which for the Greek Orthodox is the main church festival of the year.

It is also called "Clean" Monday because on the first day of Lent housewives scoured their pots and pans to rid them of traces of meat dishes cooked during the three weeks of carnival which precede the fast.

Sunday was the last day of carnival, another day of traditional picnics. A day known as "Souvla Sunday" when Greek Cypriots cook lamb, beef and pork, skewered on spits, over open fires in the countryside.

Although Limassol had its usual carnival parade this year, featuring floats and gaudily costumed adults, the pre Lenten masquerade is generally confined to children.

Modern Greek Cypriots have little time for carnival foolishness these days. And the carnival has not yet become an attraction for the 1.5 million tourists who flock to the island every year.