"Kataklysmos" Festival at Larnaca, EUROPA Issue National Festivals and National Days, Republic of Cyprus

"Kataklysmos" Festival at Larnaca, EUROPA Issue National Festivals and National Days, Republic of Cyprus

Postage stamps--Cyprus--History

Γραμματόσημα--Κύπρος--Ιστορία

“Kataklysmos"", meaning flood, is a religious popular festival celebrated only in Cyprus and coincides with Pentecost Day. The earliest story of the flood appears in the Epic of Gilgamesh in the Mesopotamian city of Uruk and was written around 2125 B.C. It recounts how for six days and six nights the winds blew, torrent, tempest and flood overwhelmed the world. When the seventh day dawned the storm had subsided, the sea had grown calm and the flood abated. (Extract from Rachel Storm, Myths and Legends of the Ancient Near East p.92) In Greek mythology the story appears as Deucalion’s flood when Zeus, angered by the impious sons of Lycaon let loose a great flood on earth meaning to wipe out the whole race of mankind. Deucalion however had been warned by his father Prometheus the Titan to build an ark and to board it with his family. The word ""Kataklysmos"" also appears in the book of Genesis and according to the Bible, God who had decided to destroy mankind for the evil and sin which reigned everywhere, warned the pious Noah to build an ark and take on board his family and a pair (male and female) of all living creatures. The ""Kataklysmos"" celebrations take place at the seaside and are unique in their splendour and magnificence. The Development Board of Ayia Napa, in conjunction with the village authorities organizes various activities including games, boat races, swimming competitions, folk dances, and popular songs in rhyming verse sung by different parties in competition with each other, and musical performances by artists from Cyprus and abroad. But the most popular custom of the day is the sprinkling of water at one another symbolizing the purification of body and soul.

Cyprus Post, Republic of Cyprus

Κυπριακά Ταχυδρομεία, Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία

Cyprus Post, Republic of Cyprus

Κυπριακά Ταχυδρομεία, Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία

Library of Cyprus University of Technology

Digital Heritage Research Lab of Cyprus University of Technology

4th May 1998

Designer: S. Vasiliou (15c.), A. Ladommatos (30c.)

Απαγορεύεται η δημοσίευση ή αναπαραγωγή, ηλεκτρονική ή άλλη χωρίς τη γραπτή συγκατάθεση του δημιουργού.

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EL, EN

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1998-EUROPA-15

35.160417, 33.346556

Oriental Press, Bahrain