In recent decades this custom may not be observed, but it exists in the memories of the elderly residents of the village, Kremasti Rhodes
The Christmas glyph was a custom that existed until the last century in the village of Kremasti in Rhodes.
In recent decades this custom may not be observed, but it exists in the memories of the elderly residents of the village.
It was found only in Kremasti and was recorded by the folklorist of Rhodes Anastasios Vrontis, along with hundreds of other customs, traditions and myths of the island’s villages.
The recording of Anastasios Vrontis about the Christmas glyph that was highlighted by the journalist-author Kostas Tsalachouris is as follows:
“On Christmas Eve, fifteen girls, girlfriends, gather in a house and put a plate full of wheat on a table.
In the middle of the plate they put a dry sprig of glyphoni (flaskouni, fliskouni, mint) that they cut in May, without speaking and fasting.
They then begin to incense this glyph and say with fervor various prayers and do penances, beseeching the Christ who is born that night.
There at midnight, at the first crowing of the rooster, any girls who are pure and God-fearing, see the glyph move, slowly and come to life.
They see it turning green from being dry and turning green as if some invisible force is reviving it. It is made from a dry tree that was green, to commemorate the Birth of Christ, as many girls from Kremastis told me, when I asked them about it. And on Christmas morning, you hear the girls asking those who guarded the griffin.
-Did you open your glyph?
-“We opened it”, they happily reply.
From this was born the phrase of our villagers “Glyfoni eglepes?” which they say to those who are late in returning from some work assigned to them.”
RES-EMP
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I am Frederick Tuttle, who works in 247 News Agency as an author and mostly cover entertainment news. I have worked in this industry for 10 years and have gained a lot of experience. I am a very hard worker and always strive to get the best out of my work. I am also very passionate about my work and always try to keep up with the latest news and trends.
