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On Tsiknopempti (Fat Thursday), on the last Sunday of Carnival, on Ash Monday, and on the name day of the Agii Theodori celebrated together with All Souls’ Day, a mock Vlach Wedding takes place in the town of Thebes. The wedding is a satirical rendition of a shepherd’s marriage which became a carnival custom in Thebes sometime in the mid-19th century.
The Vlach wedding of Thebes a custom that has its roots in Dionysian worship and is revived every year on Shrove Monday was integrated into the national index of intangible cultural heritage supported by UNESCO. Thousands of visitors are flooding the venue to experience this event from up close. This festival is for the inhabitants of the area, and especially the Vlachs, an important part of their cultural heritage.
On Fat Thursday the leavened dough is kneaded in preparation for the Vlach Wedding. In the evening, troupes of Vlachs gather in Thebes’ central square and together with the townsfolk, carouse and dance with drums and pipiza (a kind of flute), ending up at the town taverns where everyone continues to feast until the early hours of the morning. Everything is promising concerning the upcoming joys and festivities that will follow next Sunday, the last Sunday of Carnival, on Ash Monday, and the following Saturday on the name day of the Agii Theodori. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the day and participate in the feast with all the participants.
Photo: driverstories.gr
