.

.

.

Greek Orthodox Easter Traditions:Greek Easter is the most significant Holy Day in Greece. The Greek Orthodox Church celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, along with the arrival of spring, when everything is reborn.

Easter in Greece:Religious festivals with centuries-old traditions and customs take place throughout the year in Greece and Orthodox Easter is one of the greatest such celebrations. Greeks follow the Holy Week rites in commemoration of the Passion of Christ and celebrate His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Let’s find out about some of these age-old traditions.

During the Holy Week, the churches’ chandeliers and icon screens are dressed in black and purple ribbons, enhancing in this way the atmosphere of mourning for the coming crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ.
On Maundy Thursday, Greek home ovens get very busy as traditional tsoureki (a type of fragrant Easter brioche) is baked, along with lamprokouloura (Easter cookies). Eggs are immersed in red dye – the red colour symbolising the joy for Nature’s rebirth and the spiritual regeneration that comes with the Resurrection of Jesus.

On Good Friday in churches Epitaphios (a wooden canopied bier representing the tomb of Christ) is covered with flowers of various colours. At the end of the evening service a procession takes place headed by Epitaphios, the priests and acolytes. People follow along the streets of cities, towns and villages listening to psalms being chanted.

On Holy Saturday morning, preparations start for the festive dinner that is served after the Resurrection Midnight Mass. Mageiritsa soup is a traditional dish prepared in most Greek houses (made with chopped offal and herbs). Before midnight, people gather in church holding white candles, which they light with the “Holy Light” offered by the priest. The Resurrection of Christ is celebrated at Midnight with drum beats and fireworks lighting the skies as the church bells peal out and the hymn ‘Christos Anesti’ (Christ is Risen) is chanted by everybody. Then people return home to gather round the festive table; they each hold a red egg and crack it with the person next to them exclaiming at the same time Christos Anesti. The winner is the one whose egg has remained intact!

On Easter Sunday morning, in many parts of the country lamb is skewered and cooked over charcoal. In other regions, the meat for the Easter table - lamb or kid - is roasted in the oven. The atmosphere is festive and people listen and dance to folk music! So, if you’re invited to join a Greek Easter table, don’t miss this experience for anything in the world. Easter celebrations are exciting all over Greece; some of the most famous destinations to celebrate Easter are Corfu, Patmos, Chios and Leonidio. 

...

復活節是一個基督教節日,為了紀念耶穌被釘死在十字架上三天後復活而設立。據基督教《新約聖經》四本福音書及《使徒行傳》記載,耶穌為了拯救世人，在某個週五被釘在十字架上而犧牲；但在葬禮過後的週日,信眾前往墓穴查看時，卻發現耶穌的屍體不見了,使人深信耶穌基督已經復活。為了紀念耶穌基督的復活,世人將復活節前的週五稱為「受難節」,復活節前一週稱為「聖週」。

.

In the Greek Orthodox Church, Holy Tuesday(20230418) is dedicated to the holy gospel referring to Christ’s denunciation against the religious leaders of Israel, the Secretaries and the Pharisees; it also commemorates the Parable of the Ten Virgins and the Parable of Talents...

Greece Easter Traditions

There are many Easter traditions in Greece. Some of them are related to church services. There are several liturgies throughout Lent, the seven-week period before Easter, and during the Holy Week. As an example, the Unction takes place on Holy Wednesday.Other Easter traditions have to do with food. During Lent, many foods are not allowed. On Holy Saturday and Easter Day, Greeks prepare a few special dishes.

Dyeing the Red Easter eggs on Holy Thursday

In Greece, Easter eggs are not chocolate eggs. They are real chicken eggs, but not the usual ones – they are first hard boiled, and then dyed red.