Celebrating with smoke! 

 So we are looking toward our Pascha preparations and last Thursday 20 February was Tsiknopemti, a cherished Greek tradition which is a prelude to our Great Lent Fast. 

 It’s all about enjoying an indulgent feast of meat with a lot of fun festivities thrown in when families and friends come together to enjoy traditional souvlaki and other meat dishes while the air is filled with the mouth-watering aroma of grilled meat. 

 Yes, it’s a day when we are allowed to be indulgent and a bit greedy! 

 We always celebrate this ode to the braai on a Thursday because the name Tsiknopempti comes from “tsikna,” which refers to the smoky scent of roasting meats and “Pempti,” which is the word for Thursday. 

 It always falls on the second Thursday of the Triodion period which started two Sundays ago in the lead up to our Paschal period. 

 In Greece this is a day of carnivorous tastes and carnival fun which is also referred to as the week of Kreatini (the week of meats) and ushers in the start of Apokries or the pre-Lent Carnival season. Smoky Thursday (another name that says it all) is the “ eat-much-as-you-can” meat buffet because once the heavy and strict 40 day fast begins, there is not even a minuscule bacon bit on the horizon.

 Why a carnival before Lent you ask? 

 Tsiknopempti is part of traditional celebrations for the three-week Carnivale in Greece. The first week is Profoni (introduction ), the second week is Kreatini (meat week), the third week is Tirofagou (cheese / dairy week).

 So after these weeks we cease eating meat, fish or dairy as we start the Great Fast. 

 Tsiknopempti is traditionally observed on the Thursday of the week known as Kreatini and It is celebrated 11 days before Kathara Deftera or Clean Monday,when our Lent officially begins which this year is on 3rd March.

 If you happened to be in Greece last week  you would have seen outdoor barbecues everywhere and anywhere from posh neighborhoods in big cities, to town squares in smaller places and even in church courtyards on the islands and remote villages. 

 One thing is for sure – the delicious aroma of meat braaing on the coals is the national perfume for the day! 

 There was meat grilling to perfection from home barbecues to enormous grilling drums at events and of course tavernas and restaurants were competing to be the best braai master in town! But that’s not all ….. 

 Once all that lip-smacking BBQ has hit the fire there is always lots of dancing and singing on the streets as it’s a day of carefree celebrations and a ritual of revelry and good food to fortify the body and soul for the time of deprivation ahead. 

All kinds of meat including pork, chicken, lamb, beef and goat make it to the coals but the most beloved and famous is souvlakia in all its many forms plus sizzling sausages. 

 Butcher, baker, candlestick maker – bet you can guess who is the busiest in town this day! 

 Why do we celebrate Tsiknopempti? 

 Although we now have it as a Christian feast day, this tradition dates back to ancient times probably from the worship of Dionysios ( Bacchus) by ancient Greeks and Romans, and has managed to be reinvented and repurposed for our Lent preparations. 

 The origins of Apokries (Carnival) go back to these Dionysian festivals, which were filled with feasting, drinking, and the celebration of life and the seasons. 

 The idea is to grill the meat ensuring that the smell (το τσίκνισμα) fills the air! In some villages the fragrant smoke is believed to “bless” the community and homes before Lent. 

 The feasting and fun, sometimes in fancy dress and masks is similar to the celebration of Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) in other parts of the world by other Christian denominations. 

 Mardi Gras, is a festive day celebrated before Ash Wednesday and marks the close of the pre-Lenten season and comes from the custom of using all the meats and fats in the home before Lent in preparation for fasting and abstinence. 

 Another aspect of Tsiknopempti is the renowned Greek hospitality and love of togetherness and sharing. It’s a way of showing gratitude and generosity and while it’s focused on feasting, it’s also a tasty way of underlining the balance between indulgence on the one hand and looking ahead to strict discipline. 

 Although we are eating, drinking, laughing and having a good time it also alerts us to the beginning of spiritual preparation for Great Lent which revolves around purification, renewal and being aware of your shortcomings and working on them to improve yourself, introspection and communion with God. It’s our stepping stone to be more mindful and spiritual. 

 But lest you think Greeks are carnivores deluxe think on this… Although we love our meat on special days and occasions, Greeks don’t eat as much meat as you imagine because they still stick predominantly to the traditional Mediterranean diet and consume much less meat than people in most other European countries – except on Tsiknopempti of course! 

Sadly we could not celebrate last Thursday as a community because living in the diaspora things have to be adjusted slightly……….

 But we made up for it on Sunday when we worked up a storm of scrumptious smells and fragrant smoke when we let loose and celebrated Tsiknopempti at the church hall with a stunning souvlaki lunch. 

I hope the neighbours appreciated the flavoursome fumes wafting over the wall! 

(Text: Pepe Sofianos. Photos: Public domain)