TSIKNOPEMPTI IN GREECE

                                  

Tsiknopempti (Greek: Τσικνοπέμπτη), literally "Thursday of the Smoke of Grilled Meat", is part of the traditional celebrations for Carnival season in Greece. The three weeks of Carnival in Greece are, in order, "Profoni" (Greek: Προφωνή), "Kreatini" (Greek:Κρεατινή ), and "Tirofagou" (Greek:Τυροφάγου). Tsiknopempti  is the Thursday of the week of Kreatini, during which large amounts of meat are traditionally consumed prior to the arrival of Lent, the fasting season leading up to Easter.  In the Greek Orthodox tradition, fasting on Wednesday and Friday is important,  therefore  Thursday is the best day for Tsiknopempti. Tsiknopempti  is celebrated 11 days before Clean Monday. It is a moveable feast. This year it is celebrated on 12 February.

The name Τσικνοπέμπτη  comes  from the Greek words  τσίκνα, which is the smell of grilled meat, and from  Πέμπτη, which means Thursday.