User:Skoulikomirmigotripa/Kledonas

Klidonas (Κλήδονας) is a Greek divination ritual that survives from antiquity and is celebrated on annually on June 24. The ritual shows unmarried girls the identity of their future husband. Klidonas is included in modern Greek folk worship and especially in the periodical religious customs that accompany the calendar and the seasons of the year. Dimitrios Loukatos characterizes it as one of the most ritualistic holidays in our calendar. In recent times, a reduction in prejudices against pre-christian celebrations have lead to more public displays of this celebration. however, due to reduction in belief in the super natural and changes in the roles of the two sexes in Greek society, the ritual is largely seen as a purely theatrical or folkloric event.

Etymology
According to Liddel and Scott, the word κλήδων (klidon) is carries the meaning of "omen", "tidings", or "report". Hoffmann derives the word from κλεF-η-δων and κλέω<κλέFω. Generally explained as a divinatory phrase, speech, or whisper.

Klidonas in Ancient Times
The word is found in Herodotus, Aeschylus (Prometheus Bound), and Pausanias. The word is used in the Septuagint in the book of Deuteronomy (Dt. 18:10–14) where there is an explicit prohibition of performing the custom. With the meaning of "to notify" or "to make known the importance", the word is found in the Iliad and Odyssey, the Theogony, the Alcestis and passages from Euripides and the Aristophanes' Lysistrata. The word is also found as a name and invocation (as κληδόνιος, klidonios) of Zeus and Hermes, in their capacity as givers of omens and premonitions to people.