Easter in Greece is the biggest holiday of the year and is even more important than Christmas, with week long customs and traditions. The Greek Orthodox Church of course, is in the centre and plays the main role in the Greek Easter, “Πάσχα”, celebrations.
This year, Greek Orthodox Easter falls on the same date as Easter in Protestant and Catholic countries, although most other years, there is usually at least one week difference, between the two calendars.
Today, Palm Sunday is the last Sunday before Holy Week and is the day when all those attending the church service will receive a handmade cross made from dried palm fronds, which are usually made (painstakingly), in advance by a group of volunteer parishioners.
Holy Week – Μεγάλη Εβδομάδα (literally translated as the Big Week), sees the climax of the period of Lent, until the Resurrection on Saturday and each day, a very significant service takes place in churches around the Country.
Holy Monday
The first day of Holy Week. People go to church, where they worship the icon of Jesus Christ.
Holy Tuesday
A day of mourning. Women bake Easter biscuits “koulouraki’ with oil and eggs, to be eaten after the fast is over on Saturday night.
Holy Wednesday
A special church service where worshippers who have maintained a fast, throughout the period of Lent are blessed.
All household chores in preparation for the Holiday, must be finished today.
Holy Thursday
Communion services in church start early morning today and churchgoers bow before Christ on the Cross.
The women dye eggs red to symbolise the blood of Christ, and bake Easter bread – Tsoureki. These will be placed on the Easter table to be eaten after Saturday.
Holy Friday (Good Friday)
The most sacred day of Holy Week and is a day of mourning. The church bells ring the death knell all morning.
Girls decorate the Epitaph and a service is held for Christ’s funeral.
After the ceremony, usually at around 9pm in most areas of Crete, the Epitaph is paraded through the streets of the village or town with all of the congregation following behind – those who pass under the Epitaph during the procession are considered to be blessed and their sins are forgiven.
This is a sombre parade and you may notice that people leave their outside lights on to accompany the parade, as a sign of mourning.
Holy Saturday
The church once again holds a service in the morning, and the church is filled with flowers. This morning service is considered to be the first Resurrection.
In the villages men slaughter lambs for Easter Sunday. The women bake cheese pies – kalitsounia. In Crete children make an effigy of Judas to burn on bonfires later at the midnight celebration.
The Midnight Easter Service & The Resurrection – Saturday Night
And then here, in Agios Nikolaos, the lake is at the heart of the culmination of the day’s events.
The priests bring their congregations out doors to receive the Holy Light, the flame shared amongst everyone, lighting their candles. A bonfire is set on the water, where Judas is burnt and a firework display lights up the skies as the cacophony of the church bells are heard, welcoming the Resurrection of Christ.
“Christos Anesti” is the wish to all at this time – “Christ is Risen”.
You will also hear the Greeks return a wish to those who wish them – “Alithos Anesti” – “Truly Risen”!!
Returning home, everyone tries to keep their candles alight in order to use the flame to mark a cross above the entrance to their house.
And with Lent now over, meat returns to the menu, with a soup made of offal – “magiritsa”, having pride of place on the celebration table after church. Followed by the sweet cheese tarts – kalitsounia.
It is also traditional to fight each other with the red eggs – “tsougrisma” – whoever has the egg that survives the battle, has good luck for the year to come!
Easter Sunday
Families and friends meet up in large numbers for the Easter Sunday, spit roasting a lamb outside in the garden, (or even in the street if you aren’t lucky enough to have a garden), and everyone enjoys a big celebration party with food, wine, music and dancing, starting as early as when the coals are set for the spit roast and going on, for the whole day and into the evening!
Happy Easter! Καλό Πάσχα!
Footnote:
The second day of Easter – Easter Monday, is a day of rest and recovery from the after effects of the previous day’s celebrations!!!!!