Green Monday and traditions in Cyprus

Green Monday is a feast that is held on a Monday, seven weeks before the Orthodox Easter Sunday.  The day is known by several other names including Pure Monday, Clean Monday and Ash Monday.

Traditional Green Monday activities

There are several traditions associated with Green Monday and it’s widely celebrated across Cyprus. Green Monday is a public holiday, so everyone takes the day to enjoy themselves, often by having a picnic at a local beauty spot. Kite flying is also a traditional activity and a glance at the skies on Green Monday is a beautiful sight with the sky filled with colourful kites. It’s a great time to take a stroll to the beach to watch this stunning spectacle. A tug of war competition is another Green Monday tradition, with two teams each taking an end of a long rope and tugging to see who can pull the other team over and be declared the winner. The feast continues through the day and into the evening with music and dancing, most communities will organise some sort of event for the locals to enjoy. Of course visitors are also offered a warm Cypriot welcome to take part in all the Green Monday festivities so there’s nothing stopping you buying a kite from a local stall and heading to the beach to join in the fun!

Traditional Green Monday cuisine

Particular fasting foods are traditionally eaten on this day. This includes a variety of shellfish, and lagana, a special type of azyme bread. For European Orthodox Christians, it is forbidden to eat dairy, eggs or meat during Lent, and fish only on special feast days, but shellfish is allowed so this has become a Green Monday tradition. Octopus, squid and shrimp are some common and popular Green Monday dishes. Olives without oil, taramas, tahini, halvas and hummus are also frequently enjoyed at this time.

Enjoy the Green Monday lunch at the price of €25 p.p. For more info on the menu click here.

Celebrate Green Monday at the Ajax Hotel

We’ll be holding a spectacular lunch in honour of Green Monday here at the Ekavi Restaurant, the jewel in the crown of the Ajax Hotel. Priced at just €25 per person, with a generous 50% discount for children under 12, it’s a lovely and special way to spend the day with your family. Once you’ve experienced lunch in the Ekavi Restaurant, it could be the start of a new annual Green Monday tradition for you!