Klidonas
On the feast of Saint John, Kastoria recalls one of its most ancient customs, the Klidonas, linked to fertility and matrimonial divination. Unmarried girls would gather in courtyards, decorate the Klidonas—a large thorny branchwith fruits and flowers—, fetch the “silent water” from the lake, and place small personal objects into it. They were not allowed to speak on the way, despite the teasing of local boys. The water was left outside overnight under the stars, and the next day it was poured back into the lake, in the hope that it would reveal the face of the one they desired. The ritual ended with dancing and sharing the fruits of the Klidonas, in a festive summer atmosphere.
When: Occasionally revived on June 23–24 (eve and day of Saint John)
