An area rich in customs and traditions
…is one of the richest regions of the country in folklore customs and traditions, which is mainly due to the special composition of the population, since it consists of locals, Asia Minor, Pontians, Thracians, etc.
Unique customs, traditions and ancestral traditions are being revived in various parts of the prefecture, such as customs, Anastenaria, Feminism – Babbo – Brexoudia and Traditional Wrestling.
The Anastenaria
The Anastenaria started at the beginning of the century from the village of Kosti in the province of Sozoagathoupolis in Eastern Romilia. In the prefecture of Serres, the places where they are celebrated today are Agia Eleni and Kerkini. The “pyrovasia” or “akaia” is the main feature of the custom, which is surrounded by interesting mystagogies and sacrificial acts such as the ritual sacrifice of animals and the ecstasy of the faithful, with the continuous presence of music by popular instrumentalists. The popular Thracian worship of the anasthenarii has been preserved since antiquity and, apart from the bacchae of the anasthenarii, it preserves many remains of the Dionysian cult.
The ceremony begins on the eve of the feast of Constantine and Helen on May 20. On this day the sacrifice of the animal (Qurbani) takes place, as well as the transfer of the icons (of Saints Constantine and Helen) from the church to the village square. On the morning of May 21, mourners carry the icons and deposit them in the sanctum sanctorum, a sacred place in the grove. In the afternoon the first firing takes place. When the thraka is formed the mourners are notified and to the sounds of music they arrive in a procession and begin the circular dance around and over the fire. Similar ceremonies, this time closed inside the konaki, take place on the day of the feast of Agios Athanasios on January 18.


Feminism – Bamboo – Whiskers
The celebration of Babos or the midwife is an ancient custom. It was brought to Greece by the inhabitants of Eastern Romilia, who settled in Thrace and Macedonia. The custom was brought to Monoklisia in 1923 by refugees from Petra in Eastern Thrace. With the events of this custom, reproduction, the birth of children and the woman who brings them into the world is honored. It is in fact a distant recall of the matriarchal spirit. Every year on January 8, the custom of “Gynaikokratia” or “Bambos” or “Brexoudia” is revived in the Municipal Apartments of Monoklisia, N. Petra, by A. Kamilas of Livadia but also recently in Haropos. From dawn, the women with voices and accompanied by an orchestra noisily announce the fact that the village is now under their authority. Married women elect a woman president and then the rest of the board, who are also all women. They then occupy public buildings, ring church bells, collect money for the day’s expenses as well as supplies for the evening feast. Men on this day are engaged in household chores and are prohibited from walking on the street. Wearing the housewife’s apron, they wash clothes, iron and take care of the children. The punishment for the offenders is the beating, the stripping and it is the feast of all the women. The dawn of the next day will find the village in its usual former state.
Traditional Wrestling
Traditional wrestling is directly connected to the festivals. Such festivals take place:
In Skotoussa (starts on September 8, the day of the feast of the Virgin’s birthday). At the festival in the “Pyrgos” settlement of Mavrothalassa (the eve of Agia Marina, July 16 – 17). At the Festivals of Heraklia (end of August), Nigrita (St. Athanasiou Nigritas May 2, St. Thomas Nigritas Sunday after Easter, John the Forerunner Flambouros June 24, St. Georgiou Anthis April 23, of Ag. Panteleimon of Thermen July 27, of the Zoodochos Pigis Terpni Friday after Easter, as well as in Skoutari. There the visitor can meet the last traditional wrestlers, the “Pehlivanides”. Athletes, before starting the race, put on the so-called “kyuspeti” or “kispeti”, knee-length trousers made of treated goat skin, while anointing their whole body with oil.
The entrance of the athletes to the “aloni” (playing field) is done in an impressive way, with claps of the hands on the knees and other “chalims”. Throughout the games there is the sound of the bell and the drum, which will not stop until the moment of the emergence of the great winner.
