| On the last two Sundays of the Carnival a parade | | | | of the celebration, which goes back to 1705, |
| known as the "Janissary", in which masked men | | | | when the people of Naoussa danced in honour of |
| and women dance, takes place in Naoussa, a | | | | citizens who had been slain in a revolt against the |
| beautiful location in Macedonia. There are two | | | | Turks. It is also said that the dance subsequently |
| figures: the Janizari and the Boules. Although the | | | | gave the opportunity to the Greeks to hold their |
| original janissaries were soldiers of the Ottoman | | | | secret meetings when they were plotting their |
| sultans, albeit of Greek origin, taken from their | | | | independence struggle, since rebels known to the |
| parents by force when they were young and | | | | authorities could slip down from the mountains, |
| brought up as Muslims, the Janizari of Naoussa are | | | | enter and freely move about the city in disguise |
| dressed as traditional Greek warriors, wearing the | | | | at this time of the year. |
| foustanella and tsarouch. The Boules are dressed | | | | The dance troupes, accompanied by the town |
| as brides. Both wear masks made of wax and | | | | band, dance in the streets and in many of the |
| their clothes are covered with gold coins, which | | | | tavernas, where they are treated to the local |
| jangle as they move. | | | | wine and snacks. The festivities begin each day in |
| The most interesting feature of this form of the | | | | the morning, and last until late at night and it is |
| carnival is the current explanation of the history | | | | really worth being there at that time. |