EASTER

Easter is called the great celebration of Judaism

and Christianity. In Judaism, it was established
as a remembrance of the exodus, which freed the
Jews from Egyptian slavery. Later, it was
adopted as a celebration by Christians to dignify
the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ.



The Christian Easter and the term Resurrection
refer to the week of Resurrection until the
Sunday after. The feast of Easter, because of
its importance, it begins 40 days before the
Resurrection and ends 50 days after.



On Easter day, according to the Greek/Orthodox
calendar, several Greek names are celebrated:
ANASTASIOS, ANESTIS, LAMPROS,
PASCHALINA and PASCHALIS,
STASINOS.

These are the events that happened before the
Resurrection of Christ:
Saturday of Lazarus: In this day, Lazarus
resurrected. In some places, children sing
Lazarika (Easter carols) and housewives make
Lazarakia (human-shaped cookies with carnations
for eyes.
Palm Sunday: Churches are decorated with palms
(usually branch of laurels). This day, people
welcomed Jesus Christ when he was entering in
Jerusalem with palms.

Good Monday: Jesus Christ went to Jerusalem and he
was hungry. He saw a fig tree with no figs and he
told it to desiccate. The fig tree desiccated. Jesus
students asked him how he made the fig tree to
desiccate and he told them that if you have faith, you
can do many things.
Good Tuesday: Jesus Christ went to the temple of
Solomon to teach. He told many parables there.
Good Wednesday: Jesus and his students was at
Lazarus house. At the mealtime, a woman called
Maria approached Jesus, she suffused his legs with
essence and she scavenged them with her hair.
Good Thursday: This day, Last Supper was taken
place. Jesus share bread and red wine which
symbolized Jesus body and blood. It also
symbolized the sacrifice of Christ. On Good
Thursday, Jesus was arrested due to Judas who
betrayed him.
Good Friday: On Good Friday, Jesus was crucified
between two robbers. Sources refer that the one
robber regretted for his mistake in the cross and he
asked for forgiveness. Jesus told him that he will be
with him in paradise. However, the other robber did
not regret for his mistakes and he offended Christ
when he was in the cross!

Good Saturday: The body of the dead Jesus Christ
drew down and it was buried in a grave with a huge
stone for gate.
Easter Sunday: Student of Christ visited him in his
grave to suffuse it with aromatics but when they
moved the stone, they found the grave empty. As
one angel told them, the body of Christ had been
resurrected. It is understood that Christ was crusified
due to the love he had about people.


The customs in Easter are generally the same:

On Palm Sunday, churches are decorated with
palms.
On Good Thursday, especially housewives make
brioches and paint red eggs. We paint eggs because
it symbolized the renewal of life from the ancient
years and the red color symbolize the blood of
Christ.



Good Friday is the day when Epitaph (the place where the
dead body of Jesus Christ is, Jesus grave) goes round the
town. Firstly, women go to the church and decorate with
flowers the Epitaph. In the morning of Good Friday, there is
a representation of Jesus burial. Many residents of the town
worship the Epitaph and the younger children pass under the
Epitaph. Residents follow the course, priests chant and the
crowd throw flowers at the Epitaph. The course of the
Epitaph starts from the church and finishes again to it. It is
obvious that this day is the most touching day of the Easter
and it is also a day-holiday and a strict fasting.


Good Saturday is the Resurrection Eve. At about
11:30, people are dressed in their formal clothes.
They hold candles and they wait for the Holy Light
to come. When the priest says Christ is Raised, all
the candles have been lighted. The fireworks are
doing the night morning due to their light. All the
people kiss each other. The first person says Christ
is Raised and the second Verily Risen.
People keep their candles lighted and some of them
draw a cross at the to top of the house door.


In midnight, between 12 and 1 oclock, people eat
soup with meat (liver, viscera etc.). In the end they
break reds eggs they have made from Good
Thursday.
In Easter Sunday, many people go to festivities in
their villages, they eat meat (after too many days
without meat; it was a feast), they dance, they sing
and some people break red eggs again.

However, there are many unique customs and
differences about the way each place celebrates
Easter Customs:
For example:
LEONIDIO (PELOPONNESUS). The most impressive custom of
the area is that the night of the Resurrection, the sky is full of bright
aerostats.
KITHNOS (CYCLADES). The most impressive custom of the area
is the custom of Kounia (swing). Sunday of Easter, in the central
square of the island, a swing is set in which boys and girls are
swinged and are dressed in traditional costumes. The person who will
swing someone has to get married the person they swing.

PAROS. People go the Epitaph (the place where Jesus Christ is)
round the town and they stop in 15 different places. In every stop, a
part of the mountain is lighted and there is a representation of scenes
from the entrance in Jerusalem, the prayer in Mount of Olives, the
martyrdom of Crucifixion and the Resurrection. The representations
are done by children. In midnight, the island is full of lights and the
sky full of fireworks.
RHODES (IALYSSOS). Saturday of Lazarus, children sing
Lazarus (Easter carols).This day, housewives make Lazarakia
which are crooked pretzels and symbolize the body of Lazarus.
RHODES (IALYSSOS). Saturday of Lazarus, children sing
Lazarus (Easter carols).This day, housewives make Lazarakia
which are crooked pretzels and symbolize the body of Lazarus.



CHIOS. The fights with cannons are very usual in Chios.
The spectacle of the cannons in the sky the night of the
Resurrection is unique and many people visit Chios to see it.
People who take part in the fights have been increased and
over the years, the cannons have been bigger and in many
types. For example an improvised cannon can be made
from paper or metal and gunpowder. The latest years,
measures of protection have been taken and by this way this
custom can be continued.

LEFKADA. The night of Good Friday, there is the
Epitaph which goes round the town. The Good
Saturday, Philharmonic Orchestra play jolly songs at
the road and housewives break pottery which they
have at their house.
CRETE. Before the Resurrection, in Gagales in Heraklion
(the capital of Crete), all the children of the village collect
woods and anything that can be burnt and they leave them
in the yard of the church. In Resurrection eve, they make a
small mountain with the woods and at the top, they put a
scarecrow dressed in old clothes who symbolize Judas (the
man who betrayed Jesus Christ). When the priest says
Christ is raised, children burn the woods. The gong rings
all the time and fireworks are flashing in the sky.




ARGYRO SKOYLA
AFRODITE PETROYTSOY
EVA PATRIKALAKI

4
th
Junior High School of Heraklion,
in Greece.