Easter in Greece is celebrated in the beggining of the Spring. For the orthodox christians Easter is the most important holiday of the year. Every year Easter falls on Sunday. Easter makes as anderstand what life means and that we have to repent and show recpect.
This article tell us about how places-islands across Grecce celebrate Easter and what are the characteristics of their traditions.For exaple in Corfio,Cercyra it tell us about the ”Pot throwing” and the celebrtion after the Anastasi when they eat magiritsa lamb,red eggs, fogatsa (brioche), columbines (a special bread of Venetian origin, baked in the form of a dove) and lots of wine.Then about the Rocket War of Chios,what the actually do is the make a rocket the respective churches built on two hilltops about 400 meters away from each other. Direct hits on each belfry are supposedly counted on the next day to determine the winner, but each parish invariably claims victory over the other.Then we have Arachova St. George Fest. During the fest, some 500 locals wear traditional costumes and gather at the courtyard of the Holy Church of Saint George.Next is Kalamata and their Saitopolemos,people in Kalamataa group of men wearing traditional costumes carry the Saitas and detonate them while they are in their hands.Up next Metres,Thrace there, the children walk from door to door asking for sticks to build the wooden model of Judas.Then some people make a model of Judas and burn it.Last but not least we have Ierissos which is a little village in Chalkidiki,there one of their caracteristics of the easter tradition is their Easter dances, people gather all together and dance but in the end people dance to a unique song called “Kageleftos”which represents the slaughter of 400 locals by the Ottomans during the 1821 revolution. The local traditional “zografitikos” coffee boiling in a large cauldron, tsourekia and red eggs complement the day. The dance is repeated again in the afternoon in the central square of the village.
Easter is celebrated in different date every year and it is the most important religious holiday of the Orthodox Church marking the resurrection of Christ.
Easter celebrations starts from Easter Saturday night when the clock strikes 12 with the resurrection of Christ. People return home with the Light to bless their house. Then all together enjoy magiritsa and the challenge of red eggs follows. But not every place in Greece celebrates Easter in the same way.
In Corfu people throw pots of their balconi at noon of the Easter Saturday and in the evening the philharmonic orchestras play at the Upper Espianada Square.
One of the most unique happenings take place in Vrontada village in Chios, where the night before Easter Sunday, two churches make a rocket war which is called Rouketopolemos.
In Arachova they make a three day fest to honor their local protector St. George. Therefore they carry the icon of the saint throughout the village the second day after Easter Sunday. With traditional costumes and bagpipes they dance a traditional dance callled the “Panigyraki”. Then they make an uphill race towards the headquarters of Mustafa Bey. The winning prize is a living lamb.
Kalamata village is known for the “Saitopolemos” custom which started from the revolution fights of 1821, when the people of Kalamata used the Saitas in the war with Turkish.
Another unique custom happens in Metres in Thrace. The children walk from door to door asking for sticks to build the wooden model of Judas in order to burn it the following day after the Epitaphios is over.
Finally in Ierissos in Chalkidiki, locals gather on the third day after Easter at the hills of the village to relive the custom of “The Field of the Doomed Youth” (Tou mavrou yiou t’ aloni) where everybody dance.
I really liked the quiz because it lelped me learnt more things about our Easter culture.
Zoek.
I like the quiz very much,and I learn new things!!!
MARIANNA GIAPOUTZI
Easter in Greece is celebrated in the beggining of the Spring. For the orthodox christians Easter is the most important holiday of the year. Every year Easter falls on Sunday. Easter makes as anderstand what life means and that we have to repent and show recpect.
This article tell us about how places-islands across Grecce celebrate Easter and what are the characteristics of their traditions.For exaple in Corfio,Cercyra it tell us about the ”Pot throwing” and the celebrtion after the Anastasi when they eat magiritsa lamb,red eggs, fogatsa (brioche), columbines (a special bread of Venetian origin, baked in the form of a dove) and lots of wine.Then about the Rocket War of Chios,what the actually do is the make a rocket the respective churches built on two hilltops about 400 meters away from each other. Direct hits on each belfry are supposedly counted on the next day to determine the winner, but each parish invariably claims victory over the other.Then we have Arachova St. George Fest. During the fest, some 500 locals wear traditional costumes and gather at the courtyard of the Holy Church of Saint George.Next is Kalamata and their Saitopolemos,people in Kalamataa group of men wearing traditional costumes carry the Saitas and detonate them while they are in their hands.Up next Metres,Thrace there, the children walk from door to door asking for sticks to build the wooden model of Judas.Then some people make a model of Judas and burn it.Last but not least we have Ierissos which is a little village in Chalkidiki,there one of their caracteristics of the easter tradition is their Easter dances, people gather all together and dance but in the end people dance to a unique song called “Kageleftos”which represents the slaughter of 400 locals by the Ottomans during the 1821 revolution. The local traditional “zografitikos” coffee boiling in a large cauldron, tsourekia and red eggs complement the day. The dance is repeated again in the afternoon in the central square of the village.
By ZoeK.
Easter is celebrated in different date every year and it is the most important religious holiday of the Orthodox Church marking the resurrection of Christ.
Easter celebrations starts from Easter Saturday night when the clock strikes 12 with the resurrection of Christ. People return home with the Light to bless their house. Then all together enjoy magiritsa and the challenge of red eggs follows. But not every place in Greece celebrates Easter in the same way.
In Corfu people throw pots of their balconi at noon of the Easter Saturday and in the evening the philharmonic orchestras play at the Upper Espianada Square.
One of the most unique happenings take place in Vrontada village in Chios, where the night before Easter Sunday, two churches make a rocket war which is called Rouketopolemos.
In Arachova they make a three day fest to honor their local protector St. George. Therefore they carry the icon of the saint throughout the village the second day after Easter Sunday. With traditional costumes and bagpipes they dance a traditional dance callled the “Panigyraki”. Then they make an uphill race towards the headquarters of Mustafa Bey. The winning prize is a living lamb.
Kalamata village is known for the “Saitopolemos” custom which started from the revolution fights of 1821, when the people of Kalamata used the Saitas in the war with Turkish.
Another unique custom happens in Metres in Thrace. The children walk from door to door asking for sticks to build the wooden model of Judas in order to burn it the following day after the Epitaphios is over.
Finally in Ierissos in Chalkidiki, locals gather on the third day after Easter at the hills of the village to relive the custom of “The Field of the Doomed Youth” (Tou mavrou yiou t’ aloni) where everybody dance.