In the mythologies of many early civilizations, it was believed that the universe was developed from a great egg. In Greek mythology, the black-winged night gave birth to a silver egg from which sprang eros, the gold – winked god of love. Being considered as source of life, symbolizing rebirth, it is not suprisining that the egg was also connected with springtime fertility rituals.

Tamra Andrews says:

“Because eggs embody the essence of life, people from ancient times to the modern day have surrounded them with magical beliefs, endowing them with the power not only to create life but to prophesy the future. Eggs symbolize birth and are believed to ensure fertility. They aslo symbolize rebirth, and thus long life and even immortality. Eggs represent life in its various stages of development, encompassing the mystery and magic of creation….Early mythmakers viewed both the sun and the egg as the source of all life; the round, yellow yolk even symbolized the sun. Clearly, eggs had great symbolic potential… The concept of eggs as life symbols went hand in hand with the concept of eggs as emblems of immortality, and particularly the resurrection of Christ, who rose from a sealed tomb just as a bird breaks through an eggshell… The Jews traditionally serve eggs at Passover as a symbol of sacrifice and rebirth.”
Tamra Andrews, Nectar and Ambrosia: An Encyclopedia of Food in World Mythology, [Santa Barbara CA] 2000 (p. 86-7).

The connection of egg with rebirth and enternal life made it symbol of Christ’s Ressurection. The red colour of Easter eggs links Jewish and Christian tradition. It reminds the lamb’s blood with which Jews, when they were slaves in Egypt, marked their houses, so the Angel of death saw and pass over them, and it signifies the blood of Christ. The cracking of the eggs was already known in Byzantium of 13^th century. It symbolises the breaking of the tomb, but it is also a wish for a new, better life issuing from Christ’s Ressurection, although the owner of the last uncracked egg is considered very lucky.

As many other traditions, the easter eggs are associated with pagan beliefs. The first easter egg was valued for its magical and healing powers. So it was kept near the icons of the family. These healing powers associate it not only with the Christianism but also with the sacred egg, symbol of the skilled in medicine Asclepius, son of God Apollo.

Greeks have one more custom that can be traced back to ancient times. During the evening of Saturday (Thrace) or after the liturgy of Resurrection (Peloponnesos) they place eggs on the graves of their beloved deceased. They adopted this practice from Romans – through Byzantines- who used to eat eggs during the funeral lunches.

The last Saturday before Holy Week begins, is the Saturday of Lazarus. Lazarus was a beloved friend of Christ and his resurrection was a sign for the upcoming Christ’s resurrection after a week. In past farmers did not work on that day, because they believed that whatever they would cultivate would die. They only collected the woods in order to bake the easter cookies (koulourakia). On this day mothers bake “ Lazarakia’’, small demi- sweet breads of a shrouded man shape. They figure them just as Lazarus is represented. These lenten breads can be eaten by the whole familiy during the fasting days. In Koroni lazaraki is called an eastern bread which is made by the godmothers for their godchildren. Ιt also has the shape of a small man, with tiny legs and feet and an egg in the place of head. Lelekos M., Aποσπάσματα εκ των λαϊκών εθίμων, μύθων και λοιπών, σελ. 8 (Αθήνα 1891). Traditional recipe: Lazarakia 1 k. all-purpose flour 1 package active dry yeast 3 cups warm water 120 gr. sugar 2 tbs honey 1 tbs cinnamon 1 tsp ground cloves 1 tsp anise ½ tsp salt 3 tbs olive oil oil for brushing 6 whole nuts The night before baking, mix the yeast with some warm water and 1 ½ cup of all- purpose flour. Stir well, and set aside, covered, in a warm place. The next morning, in a bowl sift the remaining flour. Make a well in the center and pour in the the starter, sugar, honey, spices, salt, oil and water. Knead well till the dough becomes elastic and shiny. Cover it and let it rise for 2 hours. When the dough is doubled in size, divide it in seven pieces. One of them must be larger than the others. Roll the six smaller pieces into cords. Stick a nut in one end of each cord. Cut the larger piece of dough in 12 ropes. Stick the ends of 2 ropes near each nut and braid forming an ancient shroud. Place the breads on a oiled baking pan and cover them. Let them rise for 2 hours. Brush the Lazarakia with olive oil and bake them in preheated oven of 200° for 20 to 25 minutes.

“For our best and daintiest cheer,

Through the bright half of the year,

Is but acorns, onions, peas,

Ochros lupines, radishes,

Yetches, wild pears nine or ten,

With a locust now and then.’’

Athenaeus of Naucratis, The Deipnosophists, (Alexis, Book II, g 44, p. 90) p. 1126, transl. J. A. St. John. www. digicoll.library.wisc.edu.

 Lupines, the known wildflowers, are of the genus Lupinus and belong to the pea family or Fabacae. The name lupines or lupins is derived from the Latin word “lupus’’ which means the wolf. They have got this name because both lupines and wolves are sheep killers. Although lupines provide a nutritious food and can fertilize the soil for other plants, they also contain an alkaloid which, depending on the circumstances, provide valuable medicines or cause poisoning. The results of lupine poisoning are dizziness, depressed nervous system and heart, labored breathing, convulsions, coma, and death. Because of the effects of a light poisoning, the lupines became the special food that was offered to the pilgrims of Nekromanteion (oracle of the deceased) at Acheron river, to prepare them for communication with their deads.

Since the species chosen for cultivation have low levels of alkaloids, which can be removed by boiling, lupines is a valuable food, rich in proteins and oils. The white lupine, L. albus, has been cultivated in Meditettanean area for several thousand years. In Classical and Byzantine Greece although lupines were selled, boiled or roasted, by street sellers as a snack, they were regardered as food for the less fortunate, for farmers and cattles. It is true that this food saved a lot of people from the starvation. Not only in ancient times but even during Second World War people used lupines flour for their bread. This legume is also known for its special role in the Cynics’ diet. Since Cynical ideal for a self – sufficient life calls ascetic diet, inexpensive sources of food, as legumes in general, and the lupine especially, hold an important role.

Untill 1970, the farmers of Peloponnesus and Crete used to boil the fresh lupines in mess kettles, by the sea, or by the rivers. Then they soaked them in seawater, or in riverwater for 8 –10 days, till the water wash away their bitterness and they laid them out to dry.

The fresh lupines are very tasty and for a long time was a typical Lenten appetizer. In nowadays it is a food tending to disappear, although it is found in some markets during Fast. They are eaten as a snack, sprinkled with salt and black pepper.

In Europe since 1997 lupines and lupines flour are officialy considered as traditional food.

“During the Great Fast, we eat only once at about the ninth hour (i.e. 3:00 P.M.) taking only dry food and vegetables without oil; we do not drink wine, except on Saturday and Sunday, when we are also permitted to eat fish.” St. Theodore Studites, founder of Stoudios monastery (d. 826), Chron. Catech. 9.

“During the 40days Lent we can find several customs of social character, such as the offering special foods to neighbors and children. For istance at Sinopi, a so called ‘sour food’ is offered to neighbors; chick- peas, beans, chestnuts, raisins, bulgur and thick molasses, are boiled together for a long and then they are fried with onions in some oil.”

Megas G., Greek feasts and customs of popular cult, p. 131 (Athens 1988).

We cannot determine when and where this fast was established. We are only know that untill the third century A.D., the Easter Fast was extended to the week known to us as the Holy Week. It was the fifth Canon of the Council of Nicaea (325) which mentioned, for first time, the Forty Days Fast. Thirty five years later, the Synod of Laodicaea imposed the obligation of fasting for forty days before Easter.

The Easter Fast, which is also called Great Fast, follows the Carnival and ends on the Friday before the Saturday of Lazarus. According to the Byzantine tradition, Holy Week is considered as more important and it is not included in the Forty-Days Fast. During Lent corporal and spiritual fast are necessary for the spiritual renewal. In addition to cleansing the body and spirit, Easter Lent is also the traditional time for spring house cleaning and freshening.

Although the Lenten foods are restricted, because the fasting diet was developed mostly under influence of monastic discipline, they are quite appetizing. Even on Clean Monday when the most food is uncooked and meant to be plain, the variety is remarkable. Wet raw broad-beans, beans ala Piaz, lupines, pickled bulbs, very tender baby and young antichokes, a lot of fresh onions and garlic, many lettuces, eaten without oil and salt, tomatoes sprinkled with salt and oregano, olives, pickled vegetables, snails, shrimps, oysters, squids, octopuses, carp roe spread, dates

Fasting is the voluntary abstinence from eating foods that contain blood and dairy products, or even another food, over a period of time out of the ordinary. The purpose of fasting is to cleanse both body and spirit. This practice has its origins in the ancient Aegyptian religion. Ancient Greeks adopted this custom and not only involved it in the rituals of their mystery cults but they also used it for different purposes. At the temples of Asclepius, the semi-devine son of God Apollo, who was skilled in medicine and surgery, the long day fasting, accompanied by religious rituals, contributed to the healing treatment of sick people. At the oracles, fasting helped the provocation of visions associated with the prediction or the explanation of the enigmatic past. Mystery cults as Elefsinia, Thesmophoria and Kaveiria involved strick fasting concerning the purification and expiation of the faithfuls.

Hebrews also adopted the fasting from Aegyptians. Although according the Old Testament fasting provokes the divine forgiveness, Hebrews were not strick about this matter. The main hebrew fastings are associated whith the anniversary of great disasters, such as the destruction of Jerusalem by Navouhodonosor. The Christians adopted the fasting practice from the Hebrews, and they used it as a means of spiritual training, self-discipline and purification of soul and body, a means of approaching the god and his mercy or as punishment for serious sins.

During the Byzantine years not only the monasteries restricted their monks to the severe diet of abstinence but fasting rules were also widely practised by the most Byzantines. The effects on everyday life, on the the economy of Empire and on Byzantine cuisine, not forgetting the successor cuisines of later times, are quite remarkable.

During the Ottoman occupation of Greece ordinary people followed fanatically fasting. The poor used to eat only olives, greens without oil, paximadia and rarely salted fish. Because of this kind of diet, the foreign visitors connected the severe fasting with many diseases.

Food does not simply keep us alive· it is at the centre of social life.That’s why it links us to others or separates us from them. Flora and fauna, ideological and social orientations, religious beliefs, traditions, prejudices bring us together through food. At the same time food discriminates regions, social classes, religious teams, men, women and children. Greece is a mountainous, rocky landscape with a few pieces of fertile land. This means that Greeks had to use the production of this land quite inventively. In some areas meat and dairy products played the primary role, in other areas olive oil, legumes and greens· cooked in different ways. In that rocky country many Greeks found much of their food in the sea. The lack of fertile soil had another result: it formed the immigration as an important characteristic of Greek history. But immigrants, as merchants and conquerors, adopted elements from foreign culinary cultures and imported them to Greece. They imported new kinds of fruits and vegetables, too. Long lasting conflicts, invasions and a four hundred Ottoman domination also left their marks, although the influence was mutual. So, for a very long time Greek cooking was heavily dependent on its local products and religious dietary laws· the influence from other cultures and factors such as wealth and power are worth mentioned. Unfortunately today modernism and a mediocre ‘international’ cuisine have taken a lot of traditional foods eaten by Greeks. Nevertheless in some remote villages you can still find the tasty cooking which links to the culinary past.