37:25.03N 23:07.85E

Muskrat
Chris and Alison
Sun 16 Apr 2023 18:59
The Greeks celebrate Easter a week after the EU and it is one, if not the most, important and most celebrated event of the year.

It all starts with fasting, or giving up something during lent, then on Good Friday evening there is a long church service that ends with a procession around the town or village where the locals, dressed smartly, light candles and follow an icon, that is carried by four men, of Christ on a funeral Bier. The walk is slow and solemn but it is a family gathering as well so there is a lovely atmosphere of love and the coming together of family and friends.

On the Saturday, a goat or lamb is slaughtered, a soup is made of the entrails and head of the animal that is eaten in the evening. At 11pm there is another church service that ends at midnight when the lights are all turned off in the church, then a candle is lit in the sanctum and brought up to the waiting population who all have unlit candles, the candles are then lit, supposedly from the one candle, until everyone has a lit candle. In reality, once the main candle is lit everyone lights their own candle, otherwise it would take a long time to light everyones candle individually. Then the church bells are rung at full force and fireworks are set off. After the event everyone walks home with their lit candle and makes the sign of the cross with the soot of the lighted candle over their front door. The Sunday is a day of eating and drinking with family and friends where the rest of the animal is put on a spit and roasted then carved and shared. The children cook hard boiled eggs, paint them red and play a game like conkers with them.

A giant Easter egg at Kilada


The church at Kilada


The procession following the icon Christ through the village

Crosses made from tea lights in paper bags.


I had to make these.