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People exit church, carrying holy light to their house in total silence. After the hymn to the “Risen Christ” is played, everybody lights a candle or a lantern.
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The midnight Service of the Resurrection marks the end of fasting, and the cities suddenly become alive in the middle of the night. Visitors can watch this tradition near the Gavalohori church. The villagers prepare by lighting up thousands of aluminum cans, stuffed with flammable materials and placing them on every house, every roof top, every church, every path, on the entire village and on the Venetian castle, creating an unforgettable picture.Īs you approach the village from below, the view of the flickering torches is so spectacular that many visitors come from all over the island just to witness this event.In the old Gavalohori village, and in may other places throughout Crete, children prepare a bonfire to burn Judas at midnight on Easter Saturday. However, what happens on Good Friday night, in one of the most celebrated local customs, is truly special. Many mansions still stand, reminiscent of the wealth of the island during the 18th century.Ī simple walk in the streets will take you to another era. Pyrgos is located high up, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the whole island, all the way to the village of Oia.
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The village of “ Pyrgos Kallistis” (the village’s full name, meaning “the most beautiful tower”) is one of the island’s five castles cities and was the capital of Santorini for centuries.ĭeclared a protected settlement in 1995, today, the castle city is well-preserved and in many spots you can see a glimpse of history through the 15th century architecture. On the streets on Santorini you will see girls decorating the Epitafio – the funeral bier and after that it is paraded in a somber march. These will be on the Easter table on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. On “Big” Thursday the women dye eggs in red to symbolize the blood of Christ and bake Easter bread – Tsoureki. No meat, no dairy, no fish and no alcohol. At first, the rules for fasting seem quite simple. The restaurants cater for people who are fasting, and there are also a number of tasty vegan dishes on the menu. Of course, not every Greek fasts, but I am surprised with just how many do. The week before Easter is called the Holy Week and traditionally the people fast and go to church once a day. Just enter a church and relax, even if you don’t understand the words there is a certain feeling of peaceand tranquility that will surround you. Religion is an integral part of society in Greece, and Easter is the most important religious event on the calendar. The difference though, is that there are plenty of people that do. Don’t get us wrong, there are plenty of people here in Greece who don’t believe in God, or who say they do believe, but don’t go to church. The other thing to keep in mind, is that Greece takes its religion a little more seriously than other countries. The reason, is that the Greek Orthodox Church continued using the Julian Calendar, when most of the western world switched to the Gregorian calendar.
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Greek Orthodox Easter is at a different time of year than the Easter of the majority of other Christians. So, let me explain a bit more those traditions around the Greek Orthodox Easter, why it is at a different time of the year than in other parts of the world and what those red eggs are all about.