The tradition of Kyra Sarakosti: how to make a 'Lady Lent' calendar

The first time I met Kyra Sarakosti was in preschool, almost three decades ago.  We were introduced when my then teacher - Mrs Kiki -, handed me and my fellow students 'Lady Lent' sketches to colour and take home on the Friday before Clean Monday. I remember finding the sketch a bit odd-looking, but Mrs Kiki soon explained that it would help us count down the weeks until Pascha (Easter Sunday). 

Sketch of Kyra Sarakosti

Whilst browsing the internet in search of Lenten recipes last week, I came across an image of this familiar looking lady and I instantly remembered the brightly coloured masterpiece (!) that I asked my mum to hang onto our fridge door almost 30 years ago. I had some spare time, so I decided to try and create a baked version of Kyra Sarakosti, with which I would be surprising my parents during our next Skype call.

So, what is exactly Kyra Sarakosti or Lady Lent?

The word Sarakosti, stands for the 40-day fast, or Lent, which in the Greek orthodox church, begins on Kathara Deutera (lean or Shrove Monday). For all devout orthodox Christians, Sarakosti is a time of going to church and fasting from foods that contain red blood (meat), eggs and dairy products. This fasting mimics the fasting of Jesus in the Judaean Desert and nowadays has a symbolic meaning as it is to cleanse both the body and the soul.

Sarakosti can feel like a very long time for those who fast, especially during the last few days leading up to Easter Sunday. In the olden days, people did not have access to calendars as we know them today and so they came up with a hand drawn calendar that would help them count down the days until Pascha.

According to the tradition, the calendar, which is called ' Kyra Sarakosti' (Lady Lent), is drawn as a nun whose arms are permanently folded in prayer. She has a cross on her forehead, which is a constant reminder of her faith and has no ears, in order to block out evil and unkind talk. She also has no mouth, which is of great help not only because she is fasting but also because this makes idle talk and gossiping impossible. Her seven feet, represent the seven weeks of Great Lent and every Saturday, one of her feet are cut off. After the last foot is cut off on Holy Saturday, it is placed in a dried fig, or in a bowl of fruits and nuts or in the Easter bread and whoever finds it, is considered blessed. The winner usually writes their name and year on the back of the foot or shoe and stores it as a keepsake.

Making a Lady Lent

Kyra Sarakosti, can be made from a range of materials including paper, clay, and fabric filled with feathers. Alternatively, it can be made from alatozymo (an inedible mixture of flour, salt and water), which can last up to 7 weeks.

Recipe for  Kyra Sarakosti

Reminder: This dough should NOT be eaten!

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup salt 
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• cloves (for decorating) 

Method

1. Put all the ingredients in a bowl (the water should be the last ingredient to add). Tip : add as much water as needed, so that you have a workable dough.
2. Knead until dough becomes smooth.
3. Roll dough out to 1/2" thickness.
4. Shape Mrs Lent with the dough and decorate as desired  (you can add cloves for decoration).
5. Place in preheated oven at 160^o Celsius (320^o Fahrenheit).
   The dough should be hardened in the oven for 20-30 minutes but should NOT be baked. 
   
6. Remove your Kyra Sarakosti from the oven and allow it to cool.
7. Optional: if you wish, you can paint your Kyra Sarakosti with acrylic paint or pens.
   
   

 

If you wish to make a paper version of Lady Lent instead, feel free to download one of the printable files below.

Here is a little poem that mums and children usually together whilst making their Mrs Lent in the kitchen

 

 

 

Wishing everyone a blessed Sarakosti!