Public holiday in Greece on the first day of lent

Greece welcomes Clean Monday, also known as Pure Monday or Ash Monday, the first day of lent celebrated by Eastern Orthodox Christians. Recognised as a public holiday it occurs at the beginning of the 7th week before Orthodox Easter Sunday. Athens, Greece. 15/02/2010.

Clean Monday is a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus, where it is celebrated with outdoor excursions, the consumption of shellfish and other fasting food, a special kind of azyme bread, baked only on that day, named "lagana" and the widespread custom of flying kites. Eating meat, eggs and dairy products is traditionally forbidden to Christians throughout Lent, with fish being eaten only on major feast days, but shellfish is permitted. This has created the tradition of eating elaborate dishes based on seafood (shellfish, molluscs, fish roe etc). Traditionally, it is considered to mark the beginning of the spring season.

Greece welcomes Clean Monday, also known as Pure Monday or Ash Monday, the first day of lent celebrated by Eastern Orthodox Christians. Recognised as a public holiday it occurs at the beginning of the 7th week before Orthodox Easter Sunday. Athens, Greece. 15/02/2010.

Clean Monday is a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus, where it is celebrated with outdoor excursions, the consumption of shellfish and other fasting food, a special kind of azyme bread, baked only on that day, named "lagana" and the widespread custom of flying kites. Eating meat, eggs and dairy products is traditionally forbidden to Christians throughout Lent, with fish being eaten only on major feast days, but shellfish is permitted. This has created the tradition of eating elaborate dishes based on seafood (shellfish, molluscs, fish roe etc). Traditionally, it is considered to mark the beginning of the spring season.

Greece welcomes Clean Monday, also known as Pure Monday or Ash Monday, the first day of lent celebrated by Eastern Orthodox Christians. Recognised as a public holiday it occurs at the beginning of the 7th week before Orthodox Easter Sunday. Athens, Greece. 15/02/2010.

Clean Monday is a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus, where it is celebrated with outdoor excursions, the consumption of shellfish and other fasting food, a special kind of azyme bread, baked only on that day, named "lagana" and the widespread custom of flying kites. Eating meat, eggs and dairy products is traditionally forbidden to Christians throughout Lent, with fish being eaten only on major feast days, but shellfish is permitted. This has created the tradition of eating elaborate dishes based on seafood (shellfish, molluscs, fish roe etc). Traditionally, it is considered to mark the beginning of the spring season.

Greece welcomes Clean Monday, also known as Pure Monday or Ash Monday, the first day of lent celebrated by Eastern Orthodox Christians. Recognised as a public holiday it occurs at the beginning of the 7th week before Orthodox Easter Sunday. Athens, Greece. 15/02/2010.

Clean Monday is a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus, where it is celebrated with outdoor excursions, the consumption of shellfish and other fasting food, a special kind of azyme bread, baked only on that day, named "lagana" and the widespread custom of flying kites. Eating meat, eggs and dairy products is traditionally forbidden to Christians throughout Lent, with fish being eaten only on major feast days, but shellfish is permitted. This has created the tradition of eating elaborate dishes based on seafood (shellfish, molluscs, fish roe etc). Traditionally, it is considered to mark the beginning of the spring season.