Easter traditions in Greece

Greece is one of the best places to come to for an Easter celebration. The festival is grandly celebrated with its entire major to minor customs. Easter traditions in Greece like Apokreas, traditional activities through the Great Week, Anastasis and the Easter Sunday are some of the best ones in the country. Being a part of these religious ceremonies with unique traditions, helps you to know about the country’s cultural and religious background.

Popular Easter traditions in Greece

Easter traditions in Greece are worth being a part of. These have aesthetic value and involve people of all age groups. Some of the well-known Easter traditions in Greece are:

Apokreas in Greece:

Apokreas kick start the Easter celebrations in Greece. This is the festive tradition, which traces its origin to the times of Dionysious’s celebrations. Partras in Greece is one of the places that host this traditional function. Feasts, parties and goat dance shows are some of the components of this religious festival. Following these is a unique custom of hitting each other with plastic clubs and giving confetti to people. There are celebrations in Patras, Pireaus and Athens during for 40 days till the last week of Apokreas. The last week marks the end of this pre Easter celebration. This is then followed by the 40 days period of fasting that starts on Clean Monday.

Traditions of Great Week in Greece:

The Great Week is more like a sad week for the believers. It begins with the Palm Sunday. There are prayer services, processions, and other holy services held as a part of the custom. Thursday morning is observed as one of the remarkable days in terms of Biblical reference. On Friday however, mourning services for Lord Jesus is held. On Saturday however, the tomb door of Christ is opened by the Patriarch.

Anastasis in Greece:

Anastasis or Resurrection in Greece is a major event. People of Greece gather at the church, from where the Easter traditions are carried out. The priests of the Church put off the lights and declare that Christ has risen. This is followed by lighting of all the candles and other forms of lights in and around the Church and in the entire city. Spectacular firework shows can be seen just after the announcement of Christ’s return, followed by incessant ringing of Church bells, and ship’s sirens. People of Greece rejoice at this moment and greet each other telling “Christ has arisen”. They then return back home or visit the nearby restaurants to savor the Easter traditional delicacies of margeritsa and lamb recipes.

Day of Easter in Greece:

Easter Sunday for Greeks begins with traditions such as coloring the hard boiled eggs in red and grand feasts. Eating and drinking is a major Easter tradition in Greece, with people breaking the 40 day fast and savoring roasted lambs, sweets, egg recipes and liquor. Grand celebrations of this festival take s place during the next 24 hours with firework shows. In the afternoon however, traditional games are played with red colored eggs.

People of the country follow all the Easter traditions in Greece with great devotion and enthusiasm and wait for this lovely festival to arrive.

Last Updated on 25/02/2011