Πáσχα (Easter) and dietary life in Greece

Abstract

In recent years the globalization of foods has advanced by progress of the media. A model for foods and health, which is called by Western countries the ‘Mediterranean style’ has been reported, and is also of interest in Japan. Most studies, however, have not focused relationship between the dietary habits of Greece and Greek annual events. Therefore we examined Easter of Greek Orthodox (Πaσχα), and the Greek food-culture, which is concerned with customs or events in a city and local provinces. As a result, the following was clear—in the city it seemed that the following of such customs faded through the people' s senses of value being diversified by change in their life style, while people living far from their home return and celebrate Easter, and offered barbecue and a variety ram meats, and followed the old customs in the provinces. Dietary habits are influenced by the climate and religion of each race. All the same, it was found that there were common points between the events of the Greek Orthodox Easter that was based on old agriculture rites and important Japanese events, such as Shogatsu or Bon.