I learnt a bit about Easter celebrations in Greece this holiday. If I get anything wrong, Greek friends, please let me know and I’ll amend this! I may have misunderstood, or traditions may vary- it’s all new (and very interesting) to me.
I was surprised to find carol singers turning up at the house, and was told that they go door to door with little baskets and sing a song about Lazarus, always one week before Easter Saturday, apparently. They can be given money or sweets to put in their baskets. Baba could still remember the song they sing, from when he learnt it at Sunday School as a child, 70-odd years ago!
The main part of the religious side of things starts on Good Friday with a procession through the streets with the Epitaphio (hard to describe-a sort of religious icon). Then, there’s a special midnight mass service, after which the congregation parades through the streets with special decorated candles carrying the Eternal Flame which is passed person to person until everyone has it. When they get to their house they use the flame to make the sign of the cross on their front door. Then later on Easter Sunday they spit-roast a whole lamb along with various other special foods, and make a big party out of it!
They do have chocolate eggs like ours in England but they look like the Italian ones, in special foil wrappers, not in boxes like ours. They also play a game with eggs with the shells dyed red (which again I’ve seen in the shops) where they smash them against each other and the last egg ‘standing’ wins!
Pictured, are some of the candles on sale that they buy to give the children to carry through the streets. They have toys attached that the child can then keep afterwards. The Lovely Husband said that as a child it was pretty exciting to parade about with a lit candle at night-time!
