The Feast of Saint Barbara in Elefsina

The custom of Saint Barbara is performed on the Feast of the Martyrdom of the Saint, December 4, with the participation of the women members of the Association of Asia Minor and the Asia Minor Community of Elefsina. The custom was brought by the Greeks of Asia Minor when they came to Elefsina as refugees, uprooted from their ancestral homeland. It refers to the offerings made to Saint Barbara to obtain her blessing, to protect the children from diseases and to have a good harvest in the production of wheat and fruits, since at the end of November - beginning of December the sowing has been completed, the fruits have been gathered and it is the beginning of the new season. The offerings include wheat cream with nuts and loukoumades (a dessert made of leavened and fried dough balls). In the afternoon, the priest blesses the offerings, which are brought according to tradition to receive the blessing of Saint Barbara. Then the women of the community distribute most of the offerings to those who attend the rite and keep some to share with those who wanted to attend but were prevented by health problems. The custom seems to have its roots in antiquity. At the beginning of December, they used to prepare the "Hecate's Deipnon", a meal in honor of the goddess Enodia or Trioditis Hecate, who was worshipped in Asia Minor, and shared the meal outdoors at a crossroads "tristrato" (meeting point of three roads). Similarly, the offerings for the feast of Saint Barbara are blessed by the priest at a crossroads. The tradition has been registered in the National Index of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Greece.