You can hardly go around in Greece today, on the famous Tsiknopempti day without noticing the smell of roasted meat rising high from professional and make-shift grills. As early in the morning Greeks fires the charcoal and put delicious meat bites on: sausages, pork and chicken chops, pancetta slices, meatballs, cubes on the skewer…. It doesn’t matter what kind of meat is on the grill. Main thing it makes a lot of smoke.
It is difficult to explain to foreigners the Tsiknopempti custom, although the day is celebrated in Christian countries as Fat Thursday.
Fat Thursday is exactly eleven days before the Clean Monday that marks the beginning of 40-day Lent before Easter.
Tsiknopempti is the peak of the Carnival season, and apart from the grilled meat, it is also celebrated with dance and music.
Not everyone is happy about the grilled meat Thursday. Vegetarians launched a protest at Varvakeio Central Meat Market in Athens.
They urged people to stop eating meat and “Eat Lentils,” instead.
How the people reacted to vegetarians’ protest? Some with indifference, some with interest. Some chatted with the protesters and then continued their meat purchases.
This was not the only protest dur8ing the day, even if for completely different reasons.
Protesting workers at public hospitals fired up a grill in front of the Greek Palriament early Thursday morning. A table next to the grill was full with other delicacies and wine.
The protest was launched in favor of cleaners at Dromokaitio Mental Health hospital, who are at risk to lose their jobs.
Read also Tsiknopempti: the day Greece is covered with smoke
PS Some modern Greeks still call the day: Cholesterol-Thursday.
