Easter in Greece

Easter in Greece

Easter traditions in Greece can be traced back to a time way back when - before Christianity was even around. Back then the arrival of spring would be celebrated Pagan style with rituals that have since been adopted by Christianity. The methods of celebrating Easter in Greece however are very specific to the country. During Holy Week, the atmosphere is very somber - a reflection of the sadness that surrounded the sacrifice of Jesus.

On Holy Saturday everything’s quiet as churchgoers wait for the late evening service. At midnight, all lights in the Church are turned off and the priest emerges from behind the curtained altar, carrying a lit candle. This represents the resurrection of Jesus and is of course a moment of great celebration! Outside, fireworks and crackers are let off, as the town’s inhabitants toast an end to the fast. Inside everyone lights their own candle from the priest’s flame and takes this away to light their homes for the coming year.

On the morning of Holy Saturday you might want to be careful when you’re walking through the streets of Corfu. This is the part of the celebration when locals throw pots from their balconies onto the cobbles below – a metaphor for throwing away evil! Believers and spectators come from around the world to take part in the parades and processions of Corfu, before the party kicks off at midnight, celebrating the Resurrection! Across the country, the Sunday is then filled with celebrations and feasting on a lamb roast, cooked over a spit. You’ll be able to see the haze of succulent cooking smoke throughout the town. A whole lot of alcohol is imbibed too and young family members often take it upon themselves to build a bonfire. On this they burn an effigy of Judas - the traitorous apostle!

Another peculiar tradition is the consumption of red eggs, died using the skin of onions. Before eating these however, it is necessary to crack them open, which is done by lightly tapping your own on other people’s eggs! If you manage to crack open everyone else’s without opening your own, it’s an omen of good luck. But be warned – this pursuit of positive vibes leads to some rather competitive tsougrisma, which roughly translates as - clinking together!

Traditional Easter Food

Tsoureki: This sweet, twisting, dessert bread is cooked throughout the year, but at Easter time a coloured egg is included in the design, perched in the middle of the loaf. It’s said there are as many recipes for this bread as there are cooks! Some are adorned with nuts and others are citrus flavoured, so try a few to find your favourite.

Mayiritsa: This is the soup that’s served up when families return home after the late service on Holy Saturday. Obviously in the build up to Easter Sunday, there’s a lot of lamb involved and rather than waste anything, all the spare bits and bobs are thrown together in a soup. The liver, heart and other sweetbreads of the lamb are boiled together with lettuce, lemons, and onions, and left to simmer as the family head off to church.