Easter in Greece is easily
one of the most fun cultural events of the year. It is considered the most important holiday in the Greek Orthodox calendar, and, consequently, everyone takes part in the festivities. If you
ever get the opportunity to spend Easter in Greece, then jump at the chance, because
it’s a time you won’t forget!
Food
The significance of Easter
for the Greek culture, and many cultures around the world, is that of “self-cleansing”,
to take a moment to be grateful and realign your priorities. The more religious
population takes part in lent for 40 days before Easter Sunday. This involves
the giving up of various food groups each week, such as red meat, dairy, oil
etc, which slowly build up to vegetable consumption in the final
week. Fasting is broken on the night of Good Friday with a feast of fish, which
comes after watching the march of the “Epitaph” at church (a box decorated in
flowers that represents the death/coffin of Christ).
The following evening people attend church once again, but instead, at midnight, to celebrate the resurrection of
Christ. That evening, the meal consists of a special soup called “Magiritsa” made-up
of lamb and vegetables.
Finally on Easter Sunday, an entire lamb is cooked on the spit, plates are smashed and you dance the afternoon away in true
Greek fashion. This year our challenge was to cook a 16kg lamb, given that we
had to feed over 30 people!
Candles
Candles are very
significant in the Orthodox religion in general. When you attend church, people
light a candle in mark of their prayer. At Easter there are two important
candles lit. The first candle is a brown candle, set alight on Good Friday to
represent the solemnity of Christ’s death. The flame leaves the church and is
passed person to person as the crowd follows the “Epitaph” around the town.
The second candle is known
as a “Lambada”. These are decorative candles sold around Greece, usually bought
for children by their godparents. They are lit on Great Saturday in
celebration of Christ’s resurrection, once again passed from person to person
starting in the church. People then carry the candle home (you see candles lit
in cars!), where they bless the house by gesturing a cross in the doorway.
Eggs
At Easter, eggs signify new life and new beginnings. In Greece, the tradition is to colour eggs, mainly
red, which represents fending off evil. Chocolate eggs are of course exchanged,
but people also often hand paint eggs, to decorate and brighten up the house.
Extraordinary celebrations
Easter Sunday in Greece is
very similar to Christmas day.
You spend the entire day preparing for the main meal
and then eat until you can’t move! Some places in Greece, however, do somewhat wacky
things to celebrate. For example in Corfu, the entire town throws huge ceramic
urns off of their balconies in commemoration of Christ's resurrection. There is also
an island called Chios where two rival churches actually shoot fireworks at
each other in competition! People who went said it was an insane experience
they would never forget!
