Athassi(n) - almond

Almonds were used in almost all important occasions, since they symbolised parental power (birth), abundance and fertility (wedding) and rebirth and resurrection (funeral) (Roussounidis 1988, 1-22).

In some villages when cutting the umbilical cord of a baby, the baby would be bathed with 7 almonds. Both the symbolic number seven and the almonds have special significance and enclose within them wishes for a rich life and longevity. These almonds would then be planted to foretell the future of the child. If the trees were thriving, the child would have a bright future. In some villages, they would store the 7 almonds so as to give them to the child to eat them when starting school, in order to become a smart and good student (Protopapa 2009, 72, 122, 505).

The baby's first bath was taken in water containing seven almonds, so that the infant would grow up with intelligence and learn easily, because the shape of the almond resembled that of a brain (Roussounidis 1988, 1-22).

In the villages of the Limassol district, seven almonds were thrown into the water of the baby's first bath after Christening, to wash the baby from the christening oil. These almonds were kept in a handkerchief and would be given to the child to eat when turning seven years old, in order to become, as they would say, a good student. Behind this action there must have been an attempt to transmit to their baby the power of the tree, which was very resilient, during its first crucial seven years (Protopapa 2009, 72, 122, 505).

In the village of Agios Georgios Sylikous, when an infant is bathed for the first time, there is a custom of placing a silver coin and seven almonds in the water, and when the infant grows up they will give him/her to eat the almonds in order to become smart. The silver coin is given to the midwife as a gift from the infant (Panaretos 1967, 234).

Almonds were used in christening customs: 3 days after the christening, the washing of the myrrh takes place, that is, the clothes worn by the infant after the baptism and the anointing are washed. The godparent normally has to wash the myrrh or pay money and have someone else wash it, because this is considered good, as the proverb says, "the crazy one would be christening and the serious one would be washing the myrrh".

The water used to wash the myrrh (from the baby and clothes) would be poured into a pit used for this purpose, usually next to the church or in a place without water or in a tree in the churchyard. The seven almonds placed in the water while washing the myrrh would be collected and kept by the child's mother and, when the child would go to primary school, she would give them to him/her to eat, so that he/she would become a bright student (Yangoullis 2008, 17).

During an engagement they would put on the table almond koufeto (candy) on a small plate. After the blessing of the engagement, they would give the koufeto to singles in order to get engaged soon (Protopapa 2005, vol. A, 64-65).

At funerals, kollyva always contained almonds (Roussounidis 1988, 1-22).