Cyprus Events and Festivals

6/01/2009 - 6/30/2009Flood Festival

The Flood (Kataklysmos) Festival is a Cyprus speciality, a celebration that coincides with the Orthodox day of Pentecost, a moveable feast. A lot of water is chucked around, loosely based on the biblical story of the flood, the destruction of the Earth and its salvation through Noah's Ark. There are echoes too of the similar Greek myth of Deukalion. Festivities commence with a procession down to the harbour or waterfront, led by a priest bearing a cross. After leading prayers, the priest hurls the cross into the waters. Swimmers compete to retrieve it and the winner is awarded with a gold coin. Festivities then continue with a mixed bag of entertainments that may include boat or canoe races, swimming and diving contests, folk dances, poetry and singing. The throwing of water represents purification, and it is pretty hard to avoid being thoroughly purified through all this.