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| Easter traditions: Egg dyed
red to symbolize the blood of Christ are tapped
together as part of a contest; the victor is
the individual whose shell remains intact. |
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Courtesy
GNTO Archives
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Americans are well versed at celebrating
holidays – Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving,
Independence Day - but when it comes to Easter festivities,
the Greeks lead the way. Those lucky enough to be
visiting Greece during this period will have an
opportunity to experience the rich pageantry rooted
in thousands of years of history and tradition.
Easter, Pascha or Lambri, which means
"brilliant" or "shining day",
is one of the high points of the Greek Orthodox
religious and ritual calendar. For Greeks, the religious
message of Easter is one of regeneration after death
and is emphasized by the rebirth of nature during
the spring season. This year’s festivities
will be particularly symbolic since they fall on
May 1st. Many Greek families celebrate May Day by
hanging wreaths of freshly picked flowers on their
front doors to welcome spring into their lives.
Easter, a rite of passage, is only
experienced to its full, if one observes and participates
in the religious atmosphere and preparations of
the Holy week, which culminates in Easter Day, and
in the customary celebrations of the week following
it.
During Holy week, the atmosphere is solemn and subdued,
as Greeks, almost all of whom are Orthodox, share
in Christ’s suffering. Many people observe
Lent - a period of fasting that excludes meat and
dairy products, and even olive oil. At the same
time, the atmosphere is full of expectation of the
celebration to come.
Preparation of traditional foods
and sweets for the occasion is a major part of the
build-up towards the festivities: Easter cookies
or koulouria, with their regional variations and
tsoureki, a sweet, spicy kind of bread, and eggs
boiled and dyed red on Maundy Thursday (the Thursday
before Easter) are some of the tokens that symbolize
the joyful message of life and the resurrection
of Christ. In addition most families will prepare
a whole lamb or goat to be roasted in the oven or
on a spit. Shops and market stalls across the country
abound with a proliferation of goods necessary for
the Easter celebration, ranging from food to candles
and incense, red dyes and fireworks.
On Good Friday, amidst the mournful sound of tolling
bells evoking the death of Christ, Greeks gather
in churches to reenact the funeral procession of
Christ, or Epitaphios. This spectacular and moving
ritual epitomizes much of the symbolism of the Holy
week and is said to hold special powers of blessing
for those participating in it.
On Maundy Thursday, girls and women
gather in church to decorate a canopy representing
the tomb of Christ with flowers, candles and wreaths.
On the evening of Good Friday the canopy is taken
around the neighborhood in a procession led by priests
and a choir, followed by chanting residents holding
lighted candles. The procession blesses inhabited
and cultivated areas of the community. A message
of resurrection is also brought to the dead of the
community, as the parade stops outside the cemetery,
wherever this is possible.
In Athens, the procession of the
Epitaphios has something of a more formal character
with state dignitaries and bands accompanying it,
alongside hundreds of locals and visitors.
The procession is particularly picturesque
on islands and villages where the Epitaphioi of
various churches converge by the harbor or in the
village square, thus offering the opportunity for
competition among various parishes as to who has
the most beautifully decorated canopy. Those who
hope for better health pass underneath the Epitaphios,
while most people try to pluck a flower from it
as a blessing and an amulet against illness and
danger.
The Service of Resurrection or Anastasi
takes place on Saturday at midnight. Once the church
lights are extinguished, the priest distributes
the new light of resurrection among the congregation,
who receive it with their candles and pass it amongst
themselves with wishes and embraces, thus symbolically
expressing a sense of community and identity. The
Gospel of Resurrection is recited by the priest
and people sing the Hymn of Resurrection repeatedly
while holding their lighted candles. Churchyards,
roads and squares are full of locals exchanging
good wishes and the air resounds with the noise
of exploding firecrackers and fireworks expressing
the happiness of the occasion.
On the following day, Easter Sunday,
wherever one goes the happy message of "Christ
is risen!" (Christos Anesti!) is heard together
with the merry ringing of church bells and the sound
of music playing. The delicious smell of roasting
meat floats from homes, gardens, villages and town
squares, where communal celebrations take place
with all invited to participate. People eat lamb,
drink wine, crack red eggs and express their high
spirits (kefi) through spontaneous singing and dancing.
Above all, Easter offers a platform
for Greeks to convey their sense of belonging to
a family and to a community, as well as the chance
to express generosity, hospitality and a love of
life.
With its manifold customs and festivities,
Easter is worth attending if a visitor to Greece
wishes to gain an insight into community life at
its liveliest, indeed, if they wish to be at the
core of Greek social life and culture.
Information kindly
provided by:
The Hellenic Folklore Research Centre, Academy of
Athens
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Greece 
