Sagia

The custom of "Sagia", a ritual event full of symbolisms and lots of memories, is revived in Kato Nevrokopi every year with the participation of all community people of any age. "Sagia", which revive during the Twelve Days of Christmas in Greece, is a complex ritual that includes elements of worship. Its main goal is for people to welcome the New Year, which is celebrated with fires, wishes, dances. and songs. On the eve of the Epiphany, in Cappadocia, the inhabitants went to church early in the morning and received the Lesser Blessing of Waters, in contrast to the Great Blessing of Waters they would receive the next day of the Epiphany. They drank holy water and brought it home to sprinkle the animals, the gardens, the fields and the vineyards. The children sang carols in groups, while some of them used to dress up as "Sagia" on that day. They wore large panties up to their neck, leaving just the head uncovered. With a pair of horns on their foreheads, lots of marbles and jingle bells tied to this whimsical garment, they used to visit Greek houses and shouted loudly: "Here comes Sagia, have you heard it?". With the formality and with the participation of all, the lighting of the fire in the churchyard took place in the evening of the same day. The great impressive fire, which is lit every year, in the village square confirms in the most practical way that the inhabitants, the descendants of the refugees from Cappadocia, still keep their traditions, keep living customs and traditions, honoring the memory of their ancestors. Of those people who first settled in this place when they left pursued from Asia Minor. In Nevrokopi, the "Sagia" is revived on the eve of the Epiphany by the Association of Asia Minor & Cappadocian Bonds of Kato Nevrokopi. With the participation of everybody and in the most solemn way, they used to light a fire in the churchyard at the night of the same day. The great impressive fire in the village square attests, in the most meaningful way, that the inhabitants, descendants of the refugees from Cappadocia, still keep their traditions, customs and practices, thus honoring the memory of their ancestors, the people who first settled in this place when they fled from Asia Minor. In Nevrokopi, "Sagia" is revived on the eve of the Epiphany by the Association of Asia Minor & Cappadocian Bonds of Kato Nevrokopi.