GREEK EASTER

GREEK

It is the greatest moment of Christianity. The Greek word for Easter “Pasha” comes from the Hebraic word “Pasha” that means passage. It symbolizes the Hebraic nation’s passing from Egypt to freedom and to the “Promised Land” Easter, during spring’s peak time, symbolizes the rebirth of life and it relates to the ancient myths of Adonis and Persephone who deny and fight death.

SYMBOLISM

For the Orthodox Christianity, the Easter period begins with the Lent, a long period of preparing the body and the soul for the big moment of Resurrection.

LENT

On Palm Sunday, in remembrance of the glorious entry of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, all churches are decorated with palm or laurel leaves. These are distributed to the people after the mass .

PALM SUNDAY

It has to do with the decoration of a portable bier that symbolizes the funerary bed of Jesus Christ. During Good Friday’s evening, the epitaphs of all churches are taken around the city streets and their gathering on the central square is a very impressive moment.

THE EPITAPH OF GOOD FRIDAY

THE EPITAPH ON THE ISLANDS

During Good Saturday’s morning all churches are decorated with laurel leaves. The priest throws the laurel leaves around and the people make noise as loud as they can so that they keep the evil away.

THE FIRST RESSURECTION ON GOOD SATURDAY

On Saturday evening, the Resurrection of Christ is celebrated with great splendor in all the churches of the country. Christians light their candles in the light of the resurrection coming from the tomb of Christ in Jerusalem.

RESURRECTION

It is a Greek symbol. It is given from the godmother to the godchild so that the kid lights it during Holy Saturday.

EASTER CANDLE

Dying eggs is a national tradition for Easter and has to do with a pre- Christian symbol of life, enhanced with the red color that symbolizes Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. The eggs are dyed on Good Thursday and one of those is kept next to the icons of the house.

Red eggs remind us of Christ’s blood and His sacrifice. The tapping-eggs-game symbolizes the breaking of the Christ’s tomb and His resurrection.

RED EGGS

It means sweet bread and is one of the traditional sweets of Greek Easter.

TSOUREKI BREAD

ROASTED LAMB ON THE SPIT

Roasting lamb on a spit is a Jewish tradition of the sheep that is sacrificed and its blood was used to paint the entrances of their houses. That reminded them the night of the Exodus from Egypt. When Jesus came, he himself became that lamb.

TRADITIONS FROM DIFERRENT PLACES AROUND GREECE

It is an old tradition that has its roots in the period of the Ottoman-Turkish rule. The residents of two villages, that are situated one across the other, make artificial rockets and the moment Resurrection is announced they shoot them. The whole spectacle is very impressive.

“ROCKET WAR” IN CHIOS ISLAND

Children make an effigy of Judas and take it around from home to home, asking from people to give them branches and wood so that they “burn” Judas. Also some people keep part of these ashes to throw them on the tombs.

BURNING OF JUDAS IN THRACE

A very impressive spectacle takes place in Leonidio village in Arcadia region right after Resurrection. People make small and colorful air balloons that let fly in the air after the announcement of Christ’s resurrection.

AIR BALLOONS IN LEONIDIO VILLAGE

The ceremony of the Holy Washbowl is a religious tradition and has to do with the representation of Jesus acts before the Last Supper. Christ took a washbowl and washed his students’ feet. The representation is done in the afternoon of Good Thursday and the protagonists are the monks of Patmos, the island of the Revelation.

HOLY WASHBOWL - PATMOS ISLAND

The Corfiots throw big clay pots from the windows to the streets of the Old Town of Corfu on Holy Saturday morning. This tradition symbolizes the first resurrection, by representing the earthquake that happened in the tomb of Jesus according to the Bible. In that way an “artificial” earthquake happens and Resurrection follows.

“BOTIDES” IN CORFU ISLAND

Thankyou!