Cypriots are heading to the countryside today to celebrate Green Monday, a public holiday that marks the start of Lent with fasting foods and outdoor festivities. The day is rooted in both religious and cultural traditions, bringing together families and friends for picnics, games and kite-flying.
Municipalities and communities across the island are organising events featuring traditional Lenten dishes, music, and dance.
Families typically gather in parks, the countryside, or along the coast, sharing meals of olives, hummus, vegetables, beans and lagana, the special unleavened bread baked only for this occasion.Kite-flying remains a signature tradition of the day, eagerly anticipated by children and adults alike. The sky is filled with kites of all shapes, sizes, and colours.
However, authorities have issued warnings against flying kites and drones near Larnaca and Paphos airports due to the risks they pose to flight safety.
Traditional games also play a role in the celebrations. The egg-and-spoon race, a favourite among children, challenges players to balance an egg on a spoon held in their mouths while racing to the finish line without dropping it.
Another game, dakkanoura, once popular in areas like Paphos, Aradippou, and Rizokarpaso, involves trying to grab a baked egg using only one’s mouth.
Green Monday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day fasting period leading up to Easter. Though primarily a Christian tradition, its origins trace back to ancient Greek festivals celebrating the return of Persephone, daughter of Demeter, from the underworld – a symbol of renewal and fertility.