![Picture](/uploads/1/2/2/2/122278509/editor/klidonas-water.jpeg?1685403548)
A tranquil procession of young women walk slowly through the village, led by a girl holding an empty pitcher and a purpose. Traditional dresses billow in the breeze, waves lap up against the island and the women’s footsteps echo little noises through the main square. The lead girl approaches the fountain and fills the pitcher with the “Amilito Nero” or “Silent Water”, Holding her tongue and ignoring all disturbances as she walks back, the first part of the ritual is complete.
The festival of Klidonas is celebrated throughout Greece and begins on June 23rd, the eve of St John’s name-day, and concludes on the 24th. The tradition itself has deep roots in fortune telling and ancient Greek folklore. The water that the procession-leader had collected will be used to predict the identity of each girl’s future husband. Once the water has been retrieved, the group gathers around the pitcher, each person placing an object of personal significance or a “Rizikari” inside of it. They then cover it with a red cloth, leaving it out for the night under the power of the stars. When the young women dream they will see the face of the man they are destined to marry.
But this isn’t the only magic the night has in store. In tandem with the water ritual, the boys and young men of the village would gather May Day wreaths, which had decorated doorways for the past few months, and kindling to create controlled fires in the streets. Soon, as the townspeople gather in the darkening streets, another tradition will begin. Jumping over the fire for St. John’s Eve is practiced in multiple different countries such as Spain and Croatia. In Greece, this action symbolizes cleansing oneself and the dispelling of evil. The night concludes with prophetic dreams and burning flames. But all isn’t over.
The next day when the young girls wake, they gather together once again with the pitcher they had left overnight. Removing the red cloth, the objects are taken out one by one, at this time someone, traditionally with a type of soothsayer role, will read out poems, telling the fortune of each girl. In some places the girls will then hold the silent water in their mouths, listening at the window, the first male name they hear spoken by a passerby will supposedly be the name of their future husband. The tradition concludes with a huge feast in celebration of St. John the Baptist. Today the traditions are still kept alive around Greece, with variations in every practicing town. It’s less gender-specific nowadays, with some boys participating in the silent water ritual as well. Oftentimes the poems read at the end are more funny or teasing anecdotes rather than true fortunes, for the purpose of keeping spirits high and making people laugh. Although the ways it’s celebrated have changed a bit, I think it’s incredible that the traditions are still upheld. Klidonas truly seems like a spectacle worth witnessing.
The festival of Klidonas is celebrated throughout Greece and begins on June 23rd, the eve of St John’s name-day, and concludes on the 24th. The tradition itself has deep roots in fortune telling and ancient Greek folklore. The water that the procession-leader had collected will be used to predict the identity of each girl’s future husband. Once the water has been retrieved, the group gathers around the pitcher, each person placing an object of personal significance or a “Rizikari” inside of it. They then cover it with a red cloth, leaving it out for the night under the power of the stars. When the young women dream they will see the face of the man they are destined to marry.
But this isn’t the only magic the night has in store. In tandem with the water ritual, the boys and young men of the village would gather May Day wreaths, which had decorated doorways for the past few months, and kindling to create controlled fires in the streets. Soon, as the townspeople gather in the darkening streets, another tradition will begin. Jumping over the fire for St. John’s Eve is practiced in multiple different countries such as Spain and Croatia. In Greece, this action symbolizes cleansing oneself and the dispelling of evil. The night concludes with prophetic dreams and burning flames. But all isn’t over.
The next day when the young girls wake, they gather together once again with the pitcher they had left overnight. Removing the red cloth, the objects are taken out one by one, at this time someone, traditionally with a type of soothsayer role, will read out poems, telling the fortune of each girl. In some places the girls will then hold the silent water in their mouths, listening at the window, the first male name they hear spoken by a passerby will supposedly be the name of their future husband. The tradition concludes with a huge feast in celebration of St. John the Baptist. Today the traditions are still kept alive around Greece, with variations in every practicing town. It’s less gender-specific nowadays, with some boys participating in the silent water ritual as well. Oftentimes the poems read at the end are more funny or teasing anecdotes rather than true fortunes, for the purpose of keeping spirits high and making people laugh. Although the ways it’s celebrated have changed a bit, I think it’s incredible that the traditions are still upheld. Klidonas truly seems like a spectacle worth witnessing.