Listed 100 (total found 124) sub titles with search on: Festivals and fairs for wider area of: "PELOPONNISOS Region GREECE" .
MYSTRAS (Village) PELOPONNISOS
On Shrove Monday
It is organised by Morfotikos (educational) Society of Nea Kios
EPIDAVROS (Municipality) ARGOLIS
5/1/2003 - 6/1/2003
On January 5th, following the ancient Christian tradition, on this day the local priest tours the whole town, house to house, entering and blessing each house. Tradition has it, that the bad spirits who saw the tree of the earth, when they come in contact with the holy water they turn to dust.
On the 6th, after the morning church service, thousands of people gather at the portside, many in small boats and other craft. A procession from the church arrives and after a short prayer the local priest he throws a small decorated cross into the freezing waters. This is to symbolize the baptism of Jesus Christ. This is the signal for men and boys of all ages, to dive into the sea with complete disregard for the cold and they race to reach the cross as it sinks to the see floor. The victor, who successfully retrieves the cross, receives the blessings of the priest and church for the rest of the year.
KARVOUNARIS (Settlement) GORTYS
22/8 - 23/8
KARYTENA (Village) GORTYS
The Sunday before 15th August.
LITHOVOUNI (Village) TEGEA
In the mid-August.
MESSINI (Town) MESSINIA
In Messini (Nisi) on the first Monday of Lent every year there is
the revival of the hanging of "Gria Sykous". This incident is true and dates back
to the summer of 1825 during the Greek Revolution (1821-1828). Then, the Ibrahem
Pasha, after his victory at Maniaki, came to Nisi and destroyed it completely.
He camped outside the city, in the area of Bouka, and made plans to attack Mani
knowing that the people of Mani (Maniards) expected him in the area of Verga,
outside Kalamata, to block his way. On the day before the attack he had a dream
and he got scared. In order to calm him, his people brought an old woman, Gria
Sykou, who was interpreting dreams, who became very happy when she heard his dream
and told him that «there’s a great disaster and bad things in store for him».
That’s what happened later because, in the battle of Verga which followed, the
Turks-Egyptians suffered a great defeat. When Ibrahem returned to Nisi, he found
Gria-Sykou and hanged her. In memory of that incident, there is a revival every
year which has become part of the carnival festivities of Messini.
This extract is cited March 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
MESSINIA (Prefecture) PELOPONNISOS
On the Monday after Easter every year there is the Saetopolemos in places like Kalamata, Messini and other villages. It is an old custom of Kalamata, and it has to do with playing with fire, which dates back to the Revolution of 1821. Then, they put gunpowder in cardboard cylinders and, when they lit them, the flame and the noise they made caused the Turkish cavalry to run away. So, the saeta of Kalamata constitutes the remnant of a primitive flame-thrower which has been perfected today, and the bouloukia (=groups of people) who throw them are those who continue an ancient worship of fire which purifies and frightens at the same time.
This extract is cited March 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
METHONI (Small town) MESSINIA
In Methoni, on the first Monday of Lent there is the revival of Koutroulis' wedding. This incident dates back to the Enetokratia (= domination by the Eneti), around the 13th century when the knight Ioannis Koutroulis lived in Methoni. He was married to Dona Agathi who was older than him as well as infertile. He fell in love though, with the beautiful Arsana whom he finally married after 17 years of trying to persuade his wife to give him a divorce. Everything turned out well and the wedding took place in the form of a festival that lasted for many days.
This extract is cited March 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
PLATY (Village) ARFARA
In Platy, a beautiful small village on the messinian valley, horse races take place every year on the day they celebrate St. Georgeos which is a custom dating back to the 1800’s. Tradition has it that horse races started there, in which mainly young men who trained in horse riding took part in order to be used as messangers in the preparation of the revolution against the Turks. They misled the Turks by saying that the races were of a religious nature but in this way the chieftains had a chance to meet and organise the Revolution. In memory of these events, this custom is still continued and is held in the same place it used to.
This extract is cited March 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
VALTESSINIKO (Village) ARCADIA
ARCADIA (Prefecture) PELOPONNISOS
EPIDAVROS (Municipality) ARGOLIS
When the evening church service finishes local women and girls gather in the church hall. Here they take great pride in the painstaking work of adorning the symbol of the coffin of Christ. Each flower ribbon and candle is placed with loving care. Many hours and many people end up making a beautiful masterpiece. Of course many people like to visit just to watch the work in progress.
The height of the days long services culminate a few minutes before midnight, thousands of people have congregated at the church inside and out. The lights of the thrush go out and the people await the coming of the "first light" from Jerusalem. Suddenly the priest appears with the light and the congregation with many decorated candles takes light from this and spread it throughout the crowd. The church bells peal in triumph and happiness and fireworks light the sky from everywhere making night into day (they continue long into the morning). The crowd exchanges greetings and best wishes with each other and then starts to wind their way home to their houses, carrying the first light and marking a cross with the smoke above the doorway of their houses and then bringing the light inside. Then after the fasting is over, traditional foods "magiritsa" and "patsas" are eaten by most.
A day of celebration from morning to night, everywhere from early morning, fires are prepared and then lambs are roasted on long spits over the hot coals. Hot work that requires many hands and much refreshment, this is a day where families get together catch up on the previous year and the singing and dancing begin. Everywhere there is joy and high spirits and celebrations go on all day.
LEONIDIO (Small town) KYNOURIA
GARGALIANI (Small town) MESSINIA
1/7 - 20/7
During the first 20 days in July there are cultural events to honour the memory
of Telos Agras, known as Agapinia.
MYSTRAS (Village) PELOPONNISOS
29/5/2003
AGII ANARGYRI (Village) THERAPNES
1/7/2003
AGIOS IOANNIS THEOLOGOS (Village) INOUDAS
Feast in the countryside. Horceraces in Saint's honour.
ATSICHOLOS (Village) GORTYS
15/8
ELAFONISSOS (Island) PELOPONNISOS
9/7/2003
EPIDAVROS (Municipality) ARGOLIS
A sad day for all, the church bells toll mournfully throughout the day for the dead. The atmosphere of the village is heavy. Then after the evening church service the sacred drama reaches its zenith. A procession forms and the cross and the symbol of the coffin of Christ that was prepared the previous night leave the church and tour the village. Boys of the service and girls dressed in white costume lead the procession chanting as the procession moves slowly around the village. It stops at intervals where the people pass under the symbol to take a blessing. Eventually they return to the church where it is laid to rest.
EPIDAVROS (Small town) ARGOLIS
6/12/2002
The feast day of Saint Nicholas our protector, from an evening church service the icon of St Nicholas is paraded around the village with marching band and music and beautiful costumes.
5/5/2001 - 6/5/2001
Many many years ago Epidavros was plagued with millions of Locusts that destroyed all the greenery. The skies were so full of them that day became night. Not knowing what to do and at their wits end, the people congregated at the church on the eve of the saint day "Serafim". Along with the priest they took the saints icon around the village and suddenly a miracle happened, the Locusts took flight and went into the sea. The next day the 6th the people of Aegina Island found their shores covered by millions of dead Locusts, and now every year they arrive on this date by the boatload to remember the event. On the evening of the 5th the same icon is paraded around the village, with followers in traditional costumes singing beautiful songs of praise.
GARGALIANI (Small town) MESSINIA
3/10 - 8/10
Every year on the October 3, which is dedicated to the Patron Saint of Gargaliani,
St. Dionisios the Areopagitis, there is a big celebration which lasts five days.
KALAMATA (Town) MESSINIA
2/2/2002
The metropolitan church of the Presentation of the Saviour is situated in Kalamata by the feet of the frank castle. The Church is of byzantine Style with double steeples and was founded in 1839 and consecrated in 1879. On the 2nd February, a day of glorious celebration for the church, it has been established since 1884 to hold a religious procession carrying the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary around the city. This procession is attended by many officials and a lot of religious people. The miracle icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the «Vrefokratousa» (=holding the baby) or «Elousa» (=showing pity) and is put on a throne with gilt, embroidered vestments and is decorated with votive offerings from faithful people and its painting is attributed to the Evangelist Loukas.
This text is cited March 2003 from the Messenia Prefecture Tourism Promotion Commission URL below, which contains image.
KOUROUNIOS (Village) GORTYS
22/8 - 23/8
KYPARISSIA (Village) GORTYS
6/7
20/7
MONEMVASSIA (Village) LACONIA
NEA EPIDAVROS (Small town) ARGOLIS
PALEOCHORA (Settlement) APOLLON
PALEOCHORI (Settlement) DIMITSANA
31/8/2003
29/7/2003
PALEOKASTRO (Village) GORTYS
22/8 - 23/8
20/7
PERA MELANA (Village) APOLLON
POLYDROSSO (Settlement) THERAPNES
15/8/2003
RIZOSPILIA (Village) DIMITSANA
8/9
SAPOUNAKEIKA (Village) APOLLON
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