The Customs of 'Clean Monday' in Cyprus and Greece

The first day of the Great 40 day fasting period for the Greek Orthodox Christians is Clean Monday. Also known as "ta koulouma" (τα Κούλουμα), it has the same meaning as Ash Wednesday for the Catholics.

Source: Various

The name "Clean" came about because the house wives, in the past years were symbolically cleaning their pots from the grease, getting ready for the Sarakosti (Σαρακοστή). The customs are different in various parts of Greece. All over Greece though, the fasting begins.

Themi Kallos and Stergos Kastelloriou report.