The Greek Pomegranate: A Symbol of Luck, Life & New Beginnings

Few fruits carry as much meaning in Greek culture as the vibrant red pomegranate, το ρόδι. Bursting with ruby seeds and ancient symbolism, it has long been considered a sign of good luck, prosperity, fertility, and protection.

A Tradition Rooted in Ancient Myth

In Greek mythology, Persephone is associated with the changing seasons and the cycle of life and death. Hades, god of the Underworld, abducted her to be his queen. The pomegranate is symbolic because it was the fruit she ate in the Underworld—Hades gave it to her as a binding act.

According to the myth, a deal was made with her mother Demeter: if Persephone ate nothing while in the Underworld, she could return fully to her mother and the land of the living. However, she ate a few pomegranate seeds, binding her to Hades for part of each year. This explains why she spends autumn and winter in the Underworld and spring and summer on Earth with Demeter, mirroring the natural cycle of growth, harvest, and dormancy.

Breaking the Pomegranate: A New Year’s Ritual

On New Year’s Day in Greece, families gather at the doorstep and the head of the household smashes a pomegranate on the ground. The scattering of the seeds symbolises:

Abundance for the coming year

Good health and happiness

Good fortune entering the home

The more seeds that scatter, the luckier the year ahead is believed to be.

Why Smashing the Fruit Matters

Breaking the pomegranate releases its seeds. This is an act that symbolises opening the year and letting abundance “spill” into the household. It’s a vivid celebration that fills the home with the promise of luck, life, and fresh beginnings.