ABOUT GREEK EASTER

Easter is the biggest celebration of the Orthodox Christians and the one richest in folklore. The corresponding Greek word for "Pascha" is "Lambri" (Brightness) because the day of the resurrection of Christ is a day full of joy and exhilaration. Easter is by far the holiest of Greek holidays, but it is also the most joyous, a celebration of spring, of rebirth in its literal as well as figurative sense.

HOLY WEEK (MEGALI EVDOMADA)

Palm Sunday (Kyriaki ton Vaion or Vaioforos)

Palm Sunday is the start of the Holy Week. In the morning, all churches offer palm leaves reminding the triumphal entering of Christ in Jerusalem before the Passion. The afternoon of Palm Sunday and every afternoon of the Holy Week, people go to churches to attend the "Akolouthia tou Nymfiou", special liturgy.

Holy Monday (Megali Deftera)

People start shopping for the goods which will be prepared the next days. The lamb, the eggs, etc. In the evening all go to churches.

Holy Tuesday (Megali Triti)

Preparations start and fasting goes on. In the evening the churches play the hymn of Kassiani.

Holy Wednesday (Megali Tetarti)

On Holy Wednesday, the service of Holy Unction is performed while the faithful kneel before the priests anointed with the Holy Oil to receive forgiveness. In the evening, at churches, the center of the ceremonies and services is the - "Washing of the Disciples' Feet" that takes place at many areas.

Holy Thursday (Megali Pempti)

The preparations for the celebration of the Resurrection start on Holy Thursday. On that day housewives traditionally prepare tsourekia (sweet buns resembling brioche) and eggs with special red dyes. Ever since antiquity the egg symbolizes the renewal of life and the red color symbolizes the blood of Christ. In the past, people used to place the first red egg on the icon stand of the house in order to cast out evil spirits. In the morning of Holy Thursday, groups of children visit all the neighborhoods of the town, carrying baskets, singing and collecting flowers to decorate the bier of Christ.

Holy Friday (Megali Paraskvi)

Friday is the most sacred day of the Holy Week, the day of the culmination of the passion of Christ with the deposition from the cross and Christ's burial. All day church bells ring with a mourning sound. Because it is a day of mourning, housewives do not do any house chores, avoiding even cooking. Women and children go to church to decorate the Epitaph (Bier of Christ) with flowers they collect or buy. The Lamentations are chanted in the evening, followed by the exodus of the Epitaphs carried in procession through the streets of every village after three rounds in the churchyard.

Holy Saturday (Megalo Savato)

On Holy Saturday, a morning prayerful church service is performed. Late in the evening, at 11 o'clock, everybody gathers in the churchyard. All over Greece the ceremony takes place on a platform outside the church. Everyone holds a candle which will be lit from the holy flame. Before midnight all lights of each church are turned off and the priest appears at the Royal Door offering the Holy Light to everyone's candle. He says "defte lavete fos" that means come and take the Holy Light. This unique flame comes directly from the Holy Grave of Christ in Jerusalem and it lights miraculously without any human involvement. An airplane goes to Jerusalem to brink the Holy Light to Greece. Once people receive the light, at midnight exactly, the Priest takes the holy icon of resurrection and steps on the special platform outside the church. The Second Resurrection happens and as soon as the priest says 'Christos Anesti' that means Christ is risen, a huge and magnificent bonfire starts. Everyone shakes hands and wishes a Happy Easter to everyone around them and the so-called "Kiss of Love". It is considered lucky to reach home with your candle still alight! With the "Holy Light" of the candles people thrice make the sign of the cross on the doorpost over the front door of their houses for good luck. When the family is back from church, is time to sit around the festively laid table and try one of the oldest Easter traditions, crack red eggs. Every member of the family has their own egg and tries to break the eggs of the other members of the family. Whoever's egg breaks all the other eggs without breaking will have a good luck all year round. Preparations for the festive dinner of the night of the Resurrection start on Easter Saturday morning and housewives cook the traditional "magiritsa" (a tasteful soup made of innards and herbs).

Holy Sunday or Easter Sunday (Kiriaki tou Pascha or Lampri or Paschalia)

On Easter Sunday morning, in many parts of the country lamb is prepared on the spit. In other regions, the meat for the Easter table - lamb is roasted in the oven. There is a festive atmosphere everywhere and people eat and dance usually until late into the night. Nothing is wasted from the Easter lamb, even the intestines, liver, lungs, lights and kidneys are packed with herbs and roasted to form a huge kebab called 'kokoretsi' the wine flows freely and don't be surprised if you are invited to join in the celebrations. Families exchange visits from one house to another, bringing eggs, "kokoretsi" and cookies. The festivities continue with dancing, singing and eating! People crack red-dyed eggs one against the other and stick the shell on doors or throw it into the garden to bless the harvest.