Clean Monday is a day that marks the end of Carnival and the beginning of Great Lent in the Christian calendar.

Believers want to cleanse their bodies and souls during Clean Monday. This includes actions such as cleaning the house, visiting the church, and "cleansing" the body from toxins and the food of previous days.

Why "Kathara"?;

The word "Kathara" in the name "Kathara Deftera" comes from the etymological root of the word "katharos", which means clean or pure. This is because Kathara Deftera is the day that marks the beginning of Great Lent in Orthodox Christianity, a period of 40 days of fasting and preparation before Easter.

According to tradition, it is a day of cleansing and restoring normality after the Carnival period, during which people often indulge in delicious and rich meals, celebrating before the start of the fasting period of Great Lent.

The word "Kathara" comes from the Latin "quadragesima", which means "forty", referring to the period of forty days of fasting that follows Kathara Deftera and prepares Christians for Easter.

Why "Monday"? ;

The word "Monday" refers to the day of the week that falls on Clean Monday, which immediately follows the Sunday of Tyro, the last Sunday of Carnival.

Therefore, Clean Monday is the last day before the start of fasting, during which people clean and prepare themselves for the beginning of Lent.

Clean Monday is accompanied by many customs, the most important of which is the flying of the kite, which also has its own symbolism (Why do we fly kites on Clean Monday?) and many options (5 suggestions for original kites), as well as the Lenten menu where we choose fasting meals to "cleanse" ourselves from within (Recipes for Clean Monday).

Furthermore, the faithful take advantage of Clean Monday to do a general cleaning of their homes, preparing themselves for Great Lent and the arrival of Easter.

Overall, what we need to remember is that Clean Monday is a day of dedication and preparation for the arrival of Easter, the most important Christian celebration.