Popular Belief
According to a popular Greek Orthodox Christian folk belief, the souls of the dead in Hades ascend to the upper world every Easter for fifty days. Pentecost is the last day of the journey of the dead, the day they return to Hades.
At the time of kneeling during the service of Pentecost Monday, when the souls of the dead return to the underworld, the living close their eyes so as not to see the souls that sadly return to Hades. People kneel on walnut leaves because they symbolize the bitterness that possesses the souls of the dead on this day, since the leaves are bitter.
They say that in Ancient Greece it was believed that the walnut tree with its deep green (black-green) color was the tree of the god Pluto (Hades), that it was the only tree in Hades, and that in its shade their souls lay down and rested.
Probable Origins
Though some say this custom goes back to ancient pagan times, there is no evidence to suggest this. Rather, because this is a folk belief of mostly uneducated peasants from centuries ago who had deep piety with little knowledge of Christian dogma who relied on oral tradition, it encompasses various practices that made sense to people. For this reason it most probably stems from the fact that on the day before Pentecost there is one of two official Saturday of Souls celebrated, which Christians especially dedicate to praying for their reposed loved ones. The walnut leaves were likely brought to church on Pentecost Monday for the kneeling prayers for practical purposes, namely to kneel on so as not to kneel on the bare hard ground for a long time. Because the walnut leaves had the shape of a fiery tongue, it was seen as most fitting to use these types of leaves on Pentecost to give them a cushion for kneeling.
With this being said, when uneducated pious Christians put together the fact that Christ trampled on Death and Hades on Easter, and in the Gospel of Matthew it says that the dead escaped Hades after the Resurrection of Christ, then fifty days later we pray for the dead on the Saturday of Souls before Pentecost, and walnut leaves were specifically brought to church for the kneeling prayers, it seems that the conclusion that was drawn was the folk belief mentioned above.
According to a popular Greek Orthodox Christian folk belief, the souls of the dead in Hades ascend to the upper world every Easter for fifty days. Pentecost is the last day of the journey of the dead, the day they return to Hades.
At the time of kneeling during the service of Pentecost Monday, when the souls of the dead return to the underworld, the living close their eyes so as not to see the souls that sadly return to Hades. People kneel on walnut leaves because they symbolize the bitterness that possesses the souls of the dead on this day, since the leaves are bitter.
They say that in Ancient Greece it was believed that the walnut tree with its deep green (black-green) color was the tree of the god Pluto (Hades), that it was the only tree in Hades, and that in its shade their souls lay down and rested.
Probable Origins
Though some say this custom goes back to ancient pagan times, there is no evidence to suggest this. Rather, because this is a folk belief of mostly uneducated peasants from centuries ago who had deep piety with little knowledge of Christian dogma who relied on oral tradition, it encompasses various practices that made sense to people. For this reason it most probably stems from the fact that on the day before Pentecost there is one of two official Saturday of Souls celebrated, which Christians especially dedicate to praying for their reposed loved ones. The walnut leaves were likely brought to church on Pentecost Monday for the kneeling prayers for practical purposes, namely to kneel on so as not to kneel on the bare hard ground for a long time. Because the walnut leaves had the shape of a fiery tongue, it was seen as most fitting to use these types of leaves on Pentecost to give them a cushion for kneeling.
With this being said, when uneducated pious Christians put together the fact that Christ trampled on Death and Hades on Easter, and in the Gospel of Matthew it says that the dead escaped Hades after the Resurrection of Christ, then fifty days later we pray for the dead on the Saturday of Souls before Pentecost, and walnut leaves were specifically brought to church for the kneeling prayers, it seems that the conclusion that was drawn was the folk belief mentioned above.
Pontic Customs and Traditions
In most cities and villages of Pontus before the population exchange in the 1920's, on Pentecost Sunday, the floor of the temple was covered with walnut leaves. This is because the walnut leaves had a larger surface area, which made it easier for the faithful to kneel, since the floor in most churches was paved with stone. Among other things, the walnut leaves, due to their oval shape, are reminiscent of the fiery tongues with which the Holy Spirit appeared on the heads of the Apostles. From the practice of spreading walnut leaves on the floors of the temples originated the phrase, "Drag the walnut leaf and eat it for the week," since during the week that follows Pentecost, all foods are permitted on all days and are fast-free.
In Inepolis, during the kneeling and when the prayers were read, the faithful would place walnut leaves on their chests, because they believed they had healing properties, while in the Mesochaldi area they believed that the walnut leaves offered by the priest, if they were single leaves, brought luck.
In most cities and villages of Pontus before the population exchange in the 1920's, on Pentecost Sunday, the floor of the temple was covered with walnut leaves. This is because the walnut leaves had a larger surface area, which made it easier for the faithful to kneel, since the floor in most churches was paved with stone. Among other things, the walnut leaves, due to their oval shape, are reminiscent of the fiery tongues with which the Holy Spirit appeared on the heads of the Apostles. From the practice of spreading walnut leaves on the floors of the temples originated the phrase, "Drag the walnut leaf and eat it for the week," since during the week that follows Pentecost, all foods are permitted on all days and are fast-free.
In Inepolis, during the kneeling and when the prayers were read, the faithful would place walnut leaves on their chests, because they believed they had healing properties, while in the Mesochaldi area they believed that the walnut leaves offered by the priest, if they were single leaves, brought luck.
Rasalia, a Pentecost Custom in Epirus
Arasalia or Rasalia is a belief, which was believed more by women, that the souls of the dead came out of the underworld onto the earth and roamed from Great Thursday to the Saturday before Pentecost. They went out and wandered, as the women characteristically said, wandering around the places they had passed during their earthly life and remembering all the good and bad things they had experienced. On the Saturday before Pentecost, they returned to the underworld, happy for their journey into the past and satisfied because they were able to see earthly things again. On this Saturday, all the housewives of the village, without exception, boiled wheat and kneaded the offering bread (prosphoron) with special reverence to take to church. In the plate where they put the wheat and the offering bread, they also wrote a note with the names of all the dead in the family so that the priest could commemorate them and pray for their eternal rest. Especially at this memorial service, the priest, with his prayers and his trisagion, would, according to the housewives, comfort the souls of the dead and beg them to return to the grave. Because, they said, some of them might be carried away by the sweets of earthly life, become jealous and not want to return to the underworld, so they are condemned to wander here and there all year round.
«Μεγάλη Πέμπτη να ΄ρχεται/πέντε φορές το χρόνο/κι αυτό το έρμο τΆρσαλιού/καμιά φορά το χρόνο…»
“Great Thursday can come/five times a year/and this misfortune of Arsalia/not even once a year…”
Along with their invocation for the return of souls to the underworld, the villagers also awaited Arsalia as a feast for their stomachs. They would eat the delicious and nutritious wheat, which they so craved because it was hard to find in the years of poverty.
Arasalia or Rasalia is a belief, which was believed more by women, that the souls of the dead came out of the underworld onto the earth and roamed from Great Thursday to the Saturday before Pentecost. They went out and wandered, as the women characteristically said, wandering around the places they had passed during their earthly life and remembering all the good and bad things they had experienced. On the Saturday before Pentecost, they returned to the underworld, happy for their journey into the past and satisfied because they were able to see earthly things again. On this Saturday, all the housewives of the village, without exception, boiled wheat and kneaded the offering bread (prosphoron) with special reverence to take to church. In the plate where they put the wheat and the offering bread, they also wrote a note with the names of all the dead in the family so that the priest could commemorate them and pray for their eternal rest. Especially at this memorial service, the priest, with his prayers and his trisagion, would, according to the housewives, comfort the souls of the dead and beg them to return to the grave. Because, they said, some of them might be carried away by the sweets of earthly life, become jealous and not want to return to the underworld, so they are condemned to wander here and there all year round.
«Μεγάλη Πέμπτη να ΄ρχεται/πέντε φορές το χρόνο/κι αυτό το έρμο τΆρσαλιού/καμιά φορά το χρόνο…»
“Great Thursday can come/five times a year/and this misfortune of Arsalia/not even once a year…”
Along with their invocation for the return of souls to the underworld, the villagers also awaited Arsalia as a feast for their stomachs. They would eat the delicious and nutritious wheat, which they so craved because it was hard to find in the years of poverty.
In Anogia, Crete
Father Andreas Kefalogiannis writes about the Saturday of Souls before Pentecost on his personal Facebook page:
Women honor the dead by decorating a basket with three sweet buns and a cheese or anthotyro in the middle, with walnut leaves and roses and taking them to church as an offering for those who have passed away.
The cheese is there as Anogia is a livestock village while the walnut leaves symbolize the bitter and astringent taste that the Souls have on this day, the day the dead return to Hades. The three buns symbolize the Holy Trinity.
In fact, the women then visit the cemetery, decorate the graves with walnut leaves and wash them with them. After the service, the offerings are cut and distributed to the faithful in memory of the dead.
In Tylissos, Crete
On the Saturday of Souls before Pentecost, women go to the cemetery and decorate the graves of their dead with walnut leaves to "petrify their souls" as they say, after first pouring some water "to cool the souls."
In Kefallonia
On the day of Pentecost, walnut leaves are spread on the floor of the church, the priest kneels on the leaves and prays, while in some churches the leaves are placed in front of the beautiful gate and the priest, coming out, pushes them with his feet towards the faithful. The faithful take the walnut leaves and put them on their iconostasis. In the past, according to folklore, after the Divine Liturgy people took the walnut leaves and put them under the mattress of their bed to protect them from bad language! The custom exists in other regions of Greece, it is also recorded in churches of Pontus, where the priest and believers kneel on the walnut leaves and pray for their own people who have passed away.
Father Andreas Kefalogiannis writes about the Saturday of Souls before Pentecost on his personal Facebook page:
Women honor the dead by decorating a basket with three sweet buns and a cheese or anthotyro in the middle, with walnut leaves and roses and taking them to church as an offering for those who have passed away.
The cheese is there as Anogia is a livestock village while the walnut leaves symbolize the bitter and astringent taste that the Souls have on this day, the day the dead return to Hades. The three buns symbolize the Holy Trinity.
In fact, the women then visit the cemetery, decorate the graves with walnut leaves and wash them with them. After the service, the offerings are cut and distributed to the faithful in memory of the dead.
In Tylissos, Crete
On the Saturday of Souls before Pentecost, women go to the cemetery and decorate the graves of their dead with walnut leaves to "petrify their souls" as they say, after first pouring some water "to cool the souls."
In Kefallonia
On the day of Pentecost, walnut leaves are spread on the floor of the church, the priest kneels on the leaves and prays, while in some churches the leaves are placed in front of the beautiful gate and the priest, coming out, pushes them with his feet towards the faithful. The faithful take the walnut leaves and put them on their iconostasis. In the past, according to folklore, after the Divine Liturgy people took the walnut leaves and put them under the mattress of their bed to protect them from bad language! The custom exists in other regions of Greece, it is also recorded in churches of Pontus, where the priest and believers kneel on the walnut leaves and pray for their own people who have passed away.
Other Beliefs
The walnut tree, in addition, is associated with many beliefs related to death. In some areas, they believe that it is burdened by a curse because as they were crucifying Christ, Judas felt what had happened and his heart could not bear it, so decided to hang himself. Lo and behold, he finds a strong walnut tree and ties the rope and hangs himself. And since then, they say, the walnut tree has a heavy shadow. It is also said that whoever sleeps in the shade of the walnut tree has a very deep sleep or suffers something bad.
It is also believed that whoever plants a walnut tree is in danger of dying when the circumference of its trunk becomes larger than the neck of the person who planted it. Elsewhere, they believe that if a young person plants a walnut tree, he will die in a short time and that is why only the elderly plant walnut trees.
The walnut tree, in addition, is associated with many beliefs related to death. In some areas, they believe that it is burdened by a curse because as they were crucifying Christ, Judas felt what had happened and his heart could not bear it, so decided to hang himself. Lo and behold, he finds a strong walnut tree and ties the rope and hangs himself. And since then, they say, the walnut tree has a heavy shadow. It is also said that whoever sleeps in the shade of the walnut tree has a very deep sleep or suffers something bad.
It is also believed that whoever plants a walnut tree is in danger of dying when the circumference of its trunk becomes larger than the neck of the person who planted it. Elsewhere, they believe that if a young person plants a walnut tree, he will die in a short time and that is why only the elderly plant walnut trees.
