Tsiknopempti Today

It is Tsiknopempti today; the last day the Greek Orthodox believers are allowed to eat meat before the Easter.

The word Tsiknopempti is a composite of tsikna (smell arising from meat grilling) and pempti (Thursday). As from next Monday the Orthodox Christians are not allowed to eat meat, I guess they celebrate the day grilling the meat.

I still don't know how much proportion of the modern day Greeks observe the Orthodox fasting to the word. My impression is that not a few observe it only the first and the last week of the Lent, but I don't know many, except, of course, the priests, do it to the full.

Hubby says he will do it, but I predict he is going to make some exceptions, like milk in his coffee in the morning or on party occasions. I am not fully convinced by the philosophy of the Orthodox fasting and will do it in my own way. The Church says the believers should follow exactly what the rule book tells us and otherwise there will not be any benefit. But, you know, the Church would OF COURSE say so.

This is the first time for me to be able to observe how the Greeks observe the period before Easter and I am very much looking forward to it.