Klidonas
On the feast of Saint John the Baptist, Kastoria recalls one of its most ancient customs, the Klidonas, a tradition linked to fertility and matrimonial divination. Unmarried girls would gather in courtyards, prepare the Klidonas—a large thorny branch decorated with fruits and flowers—, fetch the so-called “silent water” from the lake, and place small personal objects into it. They were not allowed to speak on the way, despite the teasing of boys. The water was left overnight under the stars, before being poured back into the lake the following day, in hopes of revealing one’s future beloved. The ritual concluded with dancing and the sharing of the fruits from the Klidonas, in a joyful midsummer celebration.