Hydra’s Festivals

The name “Apokries” derivies from the Greek phrase Apoxh apo kreas, literally meaning “goodbye to meat.” Similarly, the word “carnival” derives from the Latin carne, meaning “meat,” and vale, meaning “goodbye.” Originally a pagan feast marking the advent of spring and a celebration of fertility and the fecundity of nature, the today Apokries marks the beginning of the Christian Lent, a period during which many Greeks abstain from meat and dairy as well as oil. (more…)