Greek Religious festivals with centuries-old traditions and customs are held throughout the year in Greece, and Orthodox Easter is one of the largest celebrations. The Greeks follow the rites of Holy Week in commemoration of the Passion of Christ and celebrate his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Let’s discover some of these ancient traditions.
During Holy Week, the chandeliers and icons of the churches are dressed in black and purple ribbons, thereby enhancing the atmosphere of mourning for the upcoming crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ.
Holy Thursday
On Maundy Thursday, Greek home ovens are very busy when traditional tsoureki (a type of fragrant Easter Brioche) is prepared, along with lamprokouloura (Easter cookies). The eggs are immersed in red food coloring, the red color that symbolizes the joy at the rebirth of Nature and the spiritual regeneration that comes with the resurrection of Jesus.
Holy Friday
On Good Friday in churches you can see the Epitaphs (a coffin with a wooden canopy representing the tomb of Christ) is covered with flowers of various colors. At the end of the evening service there is a procession led by the Epitaphs, the priests and acolytes. People walk the streets of cities, towns and villages listening to songs of psalms.
Holy Saturday
On Holy Saturday morning, preparations begin for the festive dinner that is served after the midnight mass of the resurrection mass. Mageiritsa soup is a traditional dish that is prepared in most Greek houses (made with lamb giblets and aromatic herbs). Before midnight, people gather in the church holding white candles, which they light with the “Holy Light” offered by the priest.
The Resurrection of Christ
The Resurrection of Christ is celebrated at midnight with drum beats and fireworks that light up the skies as church bells ring and everyone sings the hymn “Christos Anesti” (Christ is risen). Then the people return home to gather around the festive table; each one holds a red egg and breaks it with the person next to him, exclaiming at the same time Christos Anesti. The winner is the one whose egg has remained intact! It means that you will have a year of blessings.
Easter Sunday
On the morning of Easter Sunday, in many parts of Greece the feast of the resurrection is lived. The paschal lamb is cooked, roasting it whole on the skewer with charcoal. A great family lunch is enjoyed, with traditional music and dances. In other regions, the meat for the Passover table – lamb or kid – is roasted in the oven. The atmosphere is festive and people listen and dance to folk music. If you are in Greece; You are already invited to join a Greek Easter table, you cannot miss this unique experience in the world and share with the Greek culture.
Easter celebrations are exciting all over Greece; Some of the most famous destinations to celebrate Easter are the island of Corfu , the island of Patmos , the island of Chios and Leonidio.
You can enjoy this holiday by observing the fascinating religious traditions and celebrations that are celebrated in Corfu town. Don’t miss the best moments of Holy Week:
Corfu
Attend a municipal theater on the night of Holy Wednesday, where the municipal choir sings the Christian hymns of the Passion Week.
On Good Friday, girls and young women decorate Epitaphios with flowers in all parishes; Religious processions begin early in the afternoon accompanied by choirs and bands. Corfu Cathedral, Epitaphs, is the last and most impressive to complete the tour through the streets of the city. Listen to the music performed by the Corfu Philharmonic Bands and enjoy the overwhelming experience.
On Holy Saturday ‘Mikri Anastasi’ (First Resurrection Service) is celebrated with church bells and bands parading through the streets of the city. It is common for locals to throw clay pots from windows and balconies. It’s a sight to see them crash loudly on the streets and sidewalks below! At midnight, attend the Catholic Resurrection Mass in the Catholic Cathedral, or the Orthodox Resurrection Service in Pano Plateia (upper square). Candles are lit everywhere: they are fixed on balconies and on window sills or in the hands of attendants.
Patmos
The island of Patmos is the place where the book of Revelation was written. During Passion Week, at the Monastery of San Juan, you will experience the observance of early Christian rituals, such as the washing of the disciples’ feet and the deposition of the body of Christ from the Cross. Participate in the Resurrection Mass on Easter Sunday at the monastery, as well as in the afternoon service held at 3pm called the ‘Service of Love’.
Chios
Visit the island of Chios for your Easter holidays and enjoy the special festivals in Holy Week. On the night of Holy Saturday, the locals in the village of Vrontados prepare to light up the sky at midnight, during Easter mass. Firecrackers as big as rockets are launched to create amazing shapes of colored light on the black canvas at night!
Leonidio
The Easter celebrations in Leonidio, Peloponnese are a sight not to be missed. Check out the fascinating local custom of colorful Easter lanterns floating in the sky. As soon as “Christ is risen” is sung for the first time during the Easter Midnight Service, the lanterns begin to rise into the sky with the help of a lighted oil-soaked cloth placed at their base; The show is really impressive!
The holidays commemorating the dramatic week in the life of Jesus, during Greek Holy Week, begin on Good Friday, until Monday. On Easter Sunday all archaeological sites and museums are closed.
