Easter is the most important celebration of the year in Greece. Much more than Christmas, it brings families together around the Orthodox faith to commemorate the resurrection of Christ. Easter is the Christian festival that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, three days after his crucifixion. It represents the heart of the Christian faith, particularly in the Greek Orthodox Church, where it occupies a central place in the religious calendar.
Celebrated each year in spring, on a date that varies, it is preceded by a forty-day period called Lent, devoted to prayer, fasting and spiritual preparation.
For believers, Easter is not just an event of the past: it is a message of hope and renewal, reminding us that suffering and death can be followed by rebirth and eternal life.
The festivities begin with Holy Week. Each day of the week leading up to Easter has its own significance.
Holy Thursday is devoted to Easter preparations, including the making of ‘τσουρέκι’, a sweet brioche flavoured with mahlep, an aromatic spice extracted from the pit of the black cherry from the woods of the Saint Lucie; and the dyeing of eggs red (eggs symbolise life, and red symbolises the blood of Christ).
Holy Friday is the day of mourning, one of the most significant and important moments of Holy Week. No cooking, no work. The bells ring out throughout the day. In the evening, the community takes part in the procession of the Epitaphios, a flower-decked coffin representing Christ’s tomb, carried through the streets by the youngest members, followed by the faithful carrying candles. It is a moment of sadness, but also of faith and unity, shared throughout Greece, from the largest cities to the smallest villages.
On Holy Saturday at midnight is the resurrection vigil: before midnight, everyone gathers in church with white candles, called ‘λαμπάδα’. At midnight, the priest announces ‘Χριστός Ανέστη’, which means ‘Christ is risen’. The faithful reply ‘Αληθώς Ανέστη’, which means ‘Truly, he is risen’. Everyone’s candle is lit with the sacred flame from Jerusalem, then taken home to bless the house.
After church, the Resurrection meal, gathered around ‘μαγειρίτσα’, a traditional soup made from lamb offal.
On Easter Sunday, young and old alike have fun cracking red eggs by banging them against each other in ‘fights’. The winner is the one who manages to break both ends of his opponent’s egg without breaking his own.
Traditionally, lamb is eaten on the spit. The whole family gets together, eats, dances and sings.
In conclusion, Easter in Greece is a high point in the year, uniting believers around faith, family and renewal. Between spiritual contemplation and a warm atmosphere, this celebration embodies tradition, cultural identity and hope. Every spring, it is a reminder of the importance of human ties and the transmission of values.
By CHARLYNE FRANSIOLY & LUCAS LEROY
