Have you ever wondered why kites fly on Clean Monday? And what does Kyra Sarakosti, a typical Orthodox Lent biscuit, represent?

With the Καθαρά Δευτέρα the Carnival ends and a long period of fasting begins. This path of preparation to Easter Sunday is rich in meaning and deeply felt, an opportunity for reflection and change.

Kathari Deftera, or "Clean Monday", is one of the most important holidays in the Greek liturgical calendar and certainly one of our favourites. Growing up in a Catholic country and accustomed to a definitely gloomier and more introspective beginning of Lent, we could not be anything but (pleasantly) surprised by a celebration of reconciliation, regeneration and raising of the spirit characterised instead by outdoor excursions, flights of kites and good shared food.