Clean Monday, also known as Pure Monday, Ash Monday, or Green Monday, is a significant and celebrated holiday in Greece. It is the start of the Greek Orthodox Christian Lent period, which is the seven weeks leading up to Orthodox Easter. The holiday signifies purity and cleansing of sins, hence the name 'Clean' Monday. It's a movable feast that takes place at the beginning of the 7th week before Orthodox Easter Sunday.
Traditionally, Clean Monday is a day of outdoor celebrations in Greece. Families would fill the skies with kites, participate in outdoor activities, and enjoy a day off from work or school. It's a day for community, family, and an ode to the upcoming spring season. The holiday ushers in the 40-day fasting period of Lent, which is why on this day most Greek families will consume a specific kind of food known as Lenten food, which is free from animal products.
The food eaten on Clean Monday is an essential part of the holiday's tradition. It mainly includes bread known as 'lagana', which is only baked on Clean Monday and different kinds of seafood, usually shellfish that are not blooded, like octopus and shrimp. Another famous dish is taramasalata, a fish roe dip. Many Greeks also enjoy pickled vegetables, known as 'toursi', and olives on this day. The purpose of this type of meals is to keep with the spirit of abstention and purification that the Lent period represents.