Greek easter

Happy Easter, is Kalo Pasca in Greek. Easter is by far the most important time and event in the calendar. Easter is a time for families to get together preferably in their own villages, and members of the family now living in Athens or other major towns and cities try to get back home for the celebrations, leaving the cities uncannily quiet and peaceful. During the last week of Lent more and more people join in the fast, and eat on Nistisima Agita (fasting foods) which exclude meat, fish and olive oil, but include shellfish, octopus and lobster.

The sombre mood of this week intensifies as Saturday approaches. On Friday Evening the Epitafios (a representation of Christ's body on a Bier) is carried in procession around the boundaries of the every parish.

The climax of the week is reached on Saturday at midnight, and people seeing each other for the last time before midnight wish each other Kali Anastasi (Good Resurrection). Crowds gather at churches throughout Greece, and everybody carries an unlit candle. At midnight the liturgy reaches its climax with the Kristos Anesti (Christ has risen) and the sombre mood of the past week is shattered by the ringing of church bells and exploding fireworks. The people in the crowd turn to each other and say Kristos Anesti (He has truly risen). They then light their candles from the Priest's candle. If they can get home without the candle going out they will have a good year. The sight of the candle lit procession coming down from the church of St George is particularly impressive. For several days afterwards, people meeting for the first time will exchange the greeting Kristos Anesti/Alethios Anesti.

Immediately after midnight many people break the fast by eating Mageiritsa, a soup made from lambs entrails and on Easter Sunday families and all the villages celebrate with spit roasted lamb accompanied by lots of drinking and dancing that lasts throughout the evening. The meal has something of the significance of Christmas dinner or Thanksgiving.