“Good Rains” in Ancient Greece

Rain dances and prayers in one form or another were found among practically every ancient people, and the Greeks were no exception. Of their many rituals, one that was especially popular among the peasants was perperuna, a petition to the gods for “good rains.”

Perperuna is simply the red poppy that grows all over the countryside in springtime in Greece. But spring is also the time for rain to descend so that there will be a bounteous harvest in the fall. If the rain should fail to come, it could spell disaster for the villagers. To supplicate the gods for their favor and blessing​—and their gift of rain—​the peasants in the villages carried out their perperuna ritual.

In the celebration the young girls in the village were gathered to the local square. One of them was chosen and dressed up as the perperuna. As an appeal to the mercies of the gods, usually a poor orphan girl was chosen. An old garment was then slipped over her head and adorned with wicker twigs, leaves, flowers, and green grass until she was literally covered from head to foot. The covering was so thick that she could barely see through it. In fact, the perperuna was led about the village looking something like a walking plant.

According to tradition, perperuna was the symbol of the parched land. For her thirst to be quenched so that she would give her yield, the villagers led her from house to house, with the other girls following close by, singing as loud as they could this song:

Perperuna walks around

Praying to God in great sound.

Lord, do make some rain to fall

And revive us all,

That our sowings thus may grow,

And the crops equally so.

When the procession came to a home, the housewife greeted the perperuna by pouring water over her while calling out: “Good rains! Good rains!” After a good soaking, the perperuna responded by shaking her body violently so that water caught in the grass and leaves would splatter and fall like rain.

Finally, after making the rounds in the village, the villagers led the perperuna to a stream. There they plunged her into the water three times, all the while shouting: “Good rains! Good rains!”

Until about the first world war, the custom of perperuna was widely practiced throughout Greece. It was observed in different areas under a variety of similar names, such as paparuna, perperitsa, ververitsa. Though this custom is now said to have died out except in remote villages, in many areas it is merely replaced by church-approved religious processions for the same purpose. The interweaving of magic, superstition, and religion is deep-rooted in the lives of people even in so-called Christian lands.