Greek Easter

@thegreekling

It has just been orthodox Easter, one week after Catholic Easter.
For greeks, Easter is the biggest religious holiday of the year. The week before Easter Sunday is named " Megali Evdomada" (the holy week) and every day there are ceremonies in the church.
 Preparation for Easter begins forty days before with Kathara Deftera (Clean Monday), the first day of Lent.

 Not everyone stays off meat for 40 days but it is very common during the holy week. But it's not just meat, it is anything that comes from living things like milk, eggs, cheese etc.

As it is a religious holiday, godparents usually get their godchildren gifts. Shoes are most common but also Chocolate eggs and traditional Lambades (long candles).

On Friday you'll hear the church bells ring all day for the funeral of Christ. In the morning most of the women in the village come together to decorate His grave. A large tomb decorated with flowers that people donate the previous night at church. Women and girls of all ages gather and decorate the tomb from the early hours of the day. At around 10.00pm at night, most of the people in the village gather and follow the epitaph around the village. The whole atmosphere is rather solemn.
  

The most impressive event is on Saturday at midnight when everyone gathers around their church and at midnight at Christ's, resurrection the bells ring and firecrackers are thrown as well as fireworks. everyone says the phrase "christos anesti" (Christ has been resurrected), and replies " alithos anesti".Then the holy light is passed down from lambada to lambada until you reach home, and place a cross from the smoke of the candle at the entrance.
                                                         

Afterward, traditional " Mageiritsa " is eaten which is a soup of lamb intestines putting an end to Lent. Yes, I am not a fan of it but it is favored by many people.
                                        

Easter day is mostly a day for families and friends. The traditional Lesvos food is stuffed lamb. Many people skewer the lamb and enjoy the feast outdoors. Traditional Greek "tsoureki" (sweet bread) is baked and eaten on that day as are red-dyed eggs. When we get together we do the known "tsougrisma" when we each take an egg and try to break one another's eggs, it's very amusing.    

the Red-Dyed eggs

sweet bread

Lamb on the spit

So this is how the greeks spend easter. It is a lovely time as well. The weather is amazing and at this moment we are sat outside of Kantina in the square and have just made lamb as pictured above and are enjoying the warm sun and good company.
                                                                   Happy Easter to all xx

Tina x