The third day is dedicated to the village elders (those who are at least 60 years old). In the evening they attend a banquet in the main square; most lights are off, with candles providing most of the illumination. The meal is accompanied by traditional songs that commemorate the departure of the merchants in the days of the Ottoman Empire. A dancer selected by the elders themselves depicts scenes from the War of Independence (1821-1829) and the Asia Minor expedition (1919-1922). The dance that follows goes back to the early 1600s; the candles represent the nation’s hope for freedom from the Ottomans. While they danced, young men and women arranged their marriages behind the Church of the Virgin Mary, a custom that is no longer observed.