This document describes several Greek folk traditions and songs celebrated in early spring to mark the return of swallows and the coming of warmer weather. It explains that children would sing "chelidonismata" or swallow songs and carry wooden swallows from house to house, receiving gifts in return. It also details the traditions of wearing red and white "Martis" bracelets in March and girls dressing and singing as "Lazarines" or "Perperouna" to honor saints and pray for rain. The traditions varied by region but aimed to celebrate the end of winter and arrival of spring.

2. Chelidonismata
The 1st of March is traditionally recognized as
the beginning of spring and it is the time when
the swallows (chelidonia) return home.
To celebrate the end of winter and the coming
of the swallows, children used to sing the
“chelidonismata”(swallow's carols).

3. These carols are
similar to traditional
carols but rather than
expressing the
anticipation of
Christmas, they tell us
of the joys of spring.
This is a very old
tradition dating back to
ancient Greece, and
the carols themselves
differ from region to
region.

4. The children made a wooden
swallow, with bells around its
neck. This was attached to a rod
carried by them and they went
from house to house singing the
songs.

5. March came the good and April the cool….
…three little birds came and sat on twigs….
The birds are cheeping…
The trees are blooming…

6. The housewives then gave the children some olive
oil, flour, wheat, eggs, or in some cases money, which the
children offered to the church.

7. Our 2nd grade pupils making swallows…

9. Martis
On March 1st, mothers used to make woven bracelets for
the children. These bracelets are called „Martis‟.
The word derives from the Greek word Martios, which is
the month of March.
They were made of red and white thread.
It was believed that these bracelets would protect the
children from diseases, or from the hot March sun.

10. They used to wear these bracelets
until the end of March. Then they
left them on a tree or a rose
bush, so that the swallows would
take them and use them to build
their nests.

11. Lazarines
Lazarines is a purely female custom.
It refers to the fact of the resurrection of Saint
Lazarus.

12. Only girls were dressed
Lazarines.

13. On Saint Lazarus Eve, the girls picked up flowers and
used them to decorate baskets .
The next day, wearing their local dresses and holding the
baskets, they went to all the houses singing Lazarus
carols.

14. …Arise Lazarus and don’t be asleep.
Your mother has come…
-Tell us what you saw in Hades you went
- I saw fear, I saw horror, suffering and pain...

15. Lazarines In some places they took a
perforated spoon and they put
in two of the holes buttons or
flowers to make the eyes and a
red carnation for mouth and
thus they formed a face.
Over the spoon they tied a
wood to make hands and used
clothes to dress this doll which
supposed to be Lazarus or one of
his sisters.

16. Our 2nd grade pupils making “Lazarines”…

18. The women baked on that day a special kind of buns the
"lazaroudia" or "lazarakia" which had the shape of a man
wrapped in sheets, just as Saint Lazarus is represented in icons.

19. Perperouna
Another old custom is “Perperouna”.
If it didn‟t rain for a long time a little girl, usually an
orphan, was dressed “Perperouna”. She wore a kind of
costume made of leaves.

20. The little girl, along with
other children, went from
house to house singing.
Perperouna was walking
Praying to the Lord for rain…
- God, send us a little rain…

21. …and the housewives sprinkled water over her until it dripped
to the ground, as if it had really rained…

22. Music: Routes of spring.
(Stamatis Spanoudakis)
3rd Primary School of Voula