Easter
The major religious celebration of the year in Cyprus, when
all members of the family join in together to celebrate. The
main meal for Easter is souvla when the fast is really broken
and chunks of mouthwatering meat are roasted on a spit in
the spring sunshine.
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Lent
Taken seriously by many Cypriots. Lent is a day when Christiants
all over the world stop consuming meat, fish and dairy products
for a period of 40 days.
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Carnival Celebrations
Limassol,
Limassol is famous for its Carnival celebrations and processions.
Look out for seasonal specialities such as pastry bourekia
filled with mint flavour cheese and ravioli. Also sticky sweetmeats
such as daktyla and kandaifi. Cypriots pack a picnic on this
day and head for the countryside.
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St.Basil's Day
Cyprus,
Known as St.Basil's Day in Cyprus, this is a day for optimism,
when Cypriots hope for a fruitful forthcoming year. A special
cake Vasilopitta is baked by each family, and, when it is
cut, the person who finds a coin in th slice is promised luck
for the forthcoming year.
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Epiphany
Cyprus, 6 January 2000
A holiday, when all Cypriots go to church to ask for a fruitful
and prosperous year to come. Families gather and share a feast
of mixed dishes. Loukoumades is the popular sweet of the day.
At this time of year the citrus fruit is harvested and lorries
loaded with oranges, tangerines, lemons and grapefruit make
their way to the ports.
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Wine Festival
Municipal Gardens, September 2000
Lemesos holds its 10-day Wine Festival. Wineries compete with
extravagant stands in the Municipal Gardens, presenting grape
pressings and hosting music and dance performances. Each evening,
from 6 to 11, new wines are offered free to guests.
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Christmas
25th December 2000
Christmas, in the past every family would slaughter a pig
and the fresh meat was salted, cured or smoked to last through
the winter. Nowadays, Cypriot Christmas cake is the basic
recipe which has been adapted to suit locals.
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