| dbpprop:abstract
|
- Clean Monday, also known as Pure Monday, Ash Monday, Monday of Lent or Green Monday, is the first day of the Eastern Orthodox Christian and Eastern Catholic Great Lent. It is a movable feast that occurs at the beginning of the 7th week before Orthodox Easter Sunday. The common term for this day, "Clean Monday," refers to the leaving behind of sinful attitudes and non-fasting foods. It is sometimes called "Ash Monday," by analogy with Ash Wednesday (the day when the Western Churches begin Lent). The term is often a misnomer, as only a small subset of Eastern Churches practice the Imposition of Ashes. The Maronite Catholic Church is a notable Eastern rite that employs the use of Ashes on this day. Liturgically, Clean Monday—and thus Lent itself—begins on the preceding (Sunday) night, at a special service called Forgiveness Vespers, which culminates with the Ceremony of Mutual Forgiveness, at which all present will bow down before one another and ask forgiveness. In this way, the faithful begin Lent with a clean conscience, with forgiveness, and with renewed Christian love. The entire first week of Great Lent is often referred to as "Clean Week," and it is customary to go to Confession during this week, and to clean the house thoroughly. The theme of Clean Monday is set by the Old Testament reading appointed to be read at the Sixth Hour on this day, which says in part: Wash yourselves and ye shall be clean; put away the wicked ways from your souls before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well. Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, consider the fatherless, and plead for the widow. Come then, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, I will make them white as wool (v. 16-18). Clean Monday is a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus, where it is celebrated with outdoor excursions, the consumption of shellfish and other fasting food, and the widespread custom of flying kites. Eating meat, eggs and dairy products is traditionally forbidden to Christians throughout Lent, with fish being eaten only on major feast days, but shellfish is permitted. This has created the tradition of eating elaborate dishes based on seafood (shellfish, molluscs, fish roe etc). Traditionally, it is considered to mark the beginning of the spring season, a notion which was used symbolically in Ivan Bunin's critically acclaimed story, Pure Monday. The happy, springtime atmosphere of Clean Monday may seem at odds with the Lenten spirit of repentance and self-control, but this seeming contradiction is a marked aspect of the Orthodox approach to fasting, in accordance with the Gospel lesson read on the morning before, which admonishes: When ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face, that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret... (v. 16-18). In this manner, the Orthodox celebrate the fact that "The springtime of the Fast has dawned, the flower of repentance has begun to open..."
- Kathara Deftera oder Kathari Deftera ist die griechische Bezeichnung für den 48. Tag vor dem orthodoxen Ostersonntag und markiert den Beginn der vierzigtägigen vorösterlichen Fastenzeit (sarakosti, σαρακοστή) und gleichzeitig das Ende der orthodoxen Karnevalszeit (apokries, απόκριες). Unter Berücksichtigung der jährlich unterschiedlichen Verschiebung zwischen dem orthodoxen und dem westkirchlichen Ostertermin entspricht der Kathara Deftera terminlich dem Rosenmontag des westlichen Kalenders. Der Name rührt vom angestrebten Sinn der Fastenzeit her, die Christenmenschen seelisch und körperlich zu „reinigen“ und auf Ostern vorzubereiten. Der erste Fastentag ist in Griechenland ein offizieller Feiertag, Schulen und Geschäfte bleiben geschlossen. Von kirchlicher Seite sind alle Arbeiten untersagt, außer dem Reinigen der Küchengeräte von Resten fleischlicher Mahlzeiten. Verzehrt werden dürfen lediglich pflanzliche Produkte sowie Fische und Meeresfrüchte, aber keine Eier oder Milchprodukte. Die Dauer des Fastens vor Ostern entspricht der biblischen Angabe von vierzig Tagen, welche Jesus Christus in der Wüste verbracht haben soll. Heute wird Kathari Deftera üblicherweise begangen, indem die griechischen Familien entweder zum fleischlosen Essen ausgehen oder aber – besonders bei Familien mit Kindern – ein Picknick im Freien machen, bei dem vorzugsweise selbstgebaute Papierdrachen fliegen gelassen werden. Dabei gilt es, den Drachen (chartaetos, χαρτaετός, wörtl. „Papieradler“) möglichst hoch aufsteigen zu lassen, was Glück für das kommende Jahr versprechen soll. Katharι Deftera wird traditionellerweise bevorzugt im Freien begangen, er symbolisiert in außerchristlicher Tradition auch das Ende des Winters und den Beginn des neuen Jahres.
|
![[RDF Data]](/statics/sw-cube.png)
