Historical information

The photo is taken in Vathi Ithaca at the Apokries carnival. It is the tradition to dress up and have fun. The Agios Prebezis and Papadia signs on the back of the two people in the foreground are satirising the church and relate to a scandal during the 1970s involving the Metropolitan of Prebesa (Prevesa) and a local priest's wife.

Significance

The Apokries festival period traditionally begins ten weeks before Greek Orthodox Easter and culminates with fancy dress and masquerade parties on the weekend before Ash Monday, the first day of Lent. The name Apokries means abstention from meat, as during lent no meat is eaten. The Apokries festival dates back to Dionysos, the ancient Greek god of wine, fun and fertility.

Physical description

A coloured photograph of a crowd celebrating at a carnival. Two people with their backs to the camera are in fancy dress and are wearing hand written signs on their backs. The corners of the photograph are rounded.