Embracing Tradition

The custom of Mrs Sarakosti (which translates to Mrs 40 days of Lent) is one of the oldest customs associated with the Easter celebration, but today it is a bit forgotten. It serves as a calendar to measure the weeks from the Clean Monday to the Holy Week, as Ms. Sarakosti has 7 feet, one for each week of the Lent. It is a custom that tends to disappear in our day.

The Sarakosti lady, in most areas of Greece, was a cartoon painting depicting a woman who looked like a nun with 7 feet ,crossed hands showing that she is in prayer, lacking a mouth because she was fasting. At the end of each week, it is customary to cut one of her legs. The last leg was cut on Holy Saturday. In some areas, the seventh foot was placed in the Bread of the Resurrection, and whoever found it brought him good luck.

In other parts of Greece,  and how we have recreated this tradition in Paros, Mrs. Sarakosti is made from dough, water and above all, a lot of salt, to avoid spoiling. We cook it in the over, for just enough time to let the dough dry out and its ready to decorate your home!   

And for the Greeks out there a little poem of this wonderful tradition:   

Την κυρά Σαρακοστή
που ‘ναι έθιμο παλιό
οι γιαγιάδες μας τη φτιάχναν’
με αλεύρι και νερό.

Για στολίδι της φορούσαν
στο κεφάλι ένα σταυρό
μα το στόμα της ξεχνούσαν
γιατί νήστευε καιρό.

Και τις μέρες τις μετρούσαν
με τα πόδια της τα επτά
κόβαν’ ένα τη βδομάδα
μέχρι να ‘ρθει η Πασχαλιά.