Many visitors to Diafani ask at what time the Sunday Mass begins.
The answer is “When you hear the Church bells” !
In fact you will usually hear the first bells rung around 7.30 on Sunday morning.
This indicates that the priest has arrived and will begin the mass.
Very few people arrive this early.

You will hear the second bells around 8.30. Most of the congregation will arrive just before or just after those bells. The mass ends around 10 o’ clock.
No bells are rung at the end of the mass.
(See : Diafani A-Z “Church Mass” )

Here now is a general guideline to church bells you will hear on other days in Diafani :

- Church bells early in the morning (around 7 or 7.30 ) generally indicate that a Memorial service is being held. The family of the person who died will be joined by other people of the village for this solemn service.
A packet containing a specially prepared sweet, called “koliva” will be distributed to all comers at the end of the mass.

- Church bells in the morning (around 7.30 or 8 o’ clock ) may indicate that a mass is being held for a special Saint’s Day or Festival.
(See : Diafani A-Z “Church Festivals” for calendar of these events)

- Church bells in the evening (around 7pm / 19h ) on Saturday, or another day, indicate that the priest is preparing for the mass of the following day.

- Church bells in the late afternoon or early evening (around 6 p.m. / 18h00) may indicate that a Wedding or a Baptism will be held.
Here you will see the unique costumes of this community and the beautiful rites of the Orthodox Church.
At the end of the wedding or baptism service all family and friends will have a ribbon and handkerchief pinned to their clothes and small packets of sugar coated almonds will be distributed. A feast for the family and friends may follow the service, usually with local music and traditional dances.

- Church bells rung very fast and loud will indicate a fire has broken out and all help is needed.
These bells have not been rung since the big fire in 1983 and we sincerely hope we will not hear them again.
(Ask to see the “Album of the Fire” in the traditional local Kafeneion ).